Locked Up & Pissed Off
by RangerBabeFan
Summary: A Babe fic. NOT Morelli or Mrs. Plum friendly, so be warned! Rated for language, smut and violent content. The journey is now complete! Thank you so much everyone! It's been a wild ride!
1. Chapter 01 Steph's POV

Disclaimer: Characters are the property of Janet Evanovich. I'm just playing with them. I may return them when I've finished with them; I haven't decided yet. Except Ranger. I'm keeping him! Janet can't have him. She doesn't want him anyways! Oh, and I not making any money on this. Like anyone would pay me for this crap! Get real!

Also, I need to give huge, HUGE thanks to BB for beta-ing this for me. Her help was invaluable, and without it, it would have died a horrible, twisted, mutilated…well, you get the picture. Suffice it to say, she saved it! Thanks, BB! You rock!

**Locked Up and Pissed Off**** – **pt 1

Steph's POV

I WAS SITTING IN the back seat of the SUV, fuming, as Lester drove us down the highway, lost in his "zone". Every few minutes I would jerk my arm, causing the handcuff to dig painfully into my wrist. I didn't care, though. I was too pissed to care!

Ranger had finally done it! My latest stalker had tried to send my POS to car heaven while I was in it. He had thrown a Molotov cocktail through the open backseat window as I pulled into my parking lot. I was able to get out just before the car went BOOM! After that, Ranger decided I was going to a safe house. He cuffed me like he would an FTA in the back of a RangeMan SUV and handed Lester the keys. Okay, so he only cuffed one hand, but it was the principle of the matter!

_That_ was why I was pissed! _Ranger_ had decided. Not me! He didn't even discuss it with me! Never, _never _had he taken away my choices before! He'd always given me options, and now here he was, acting just like Morelli! It infuriated me, because he was supposed to be my friend! He was the one person who backed me up, who actually listened to me when I gave my reasons for why I did what I did, and this time, he wouldn't even listen! He never even gave me a chance!

My frustrated musings were cut short as the SUV slowed, pulling off the highway and onto a gravel road. We wound through a veritable forest of trees that towered high over our heads, the tops lost in a mist that seemed to float closer and closer to the ground the further we drove. Huh. I hadn't realized we had been climbing since before we left the highway. Guess I was too mad to notice.

All too soon we pulled into a huge clearing where a log house stood. It stood alone, the trees a good 150 feet away. This was obviously for security reasons—no cover meant no one could sneak up on the house without being seen. For some reason, this irritated me, and I snorted. Yeah, like someone would be smart enough to find a RangeMan safe house, let alone stupid enough to attack it!

Lester shut off the ignition and glanced in the rear view mirror at me, his look clearly saying 'don't give me any trouble'. He got out of the SUV, shutting his door a little harder than necessary, before coming around and opening mine.

I jerked the cuffs, irritated that I had to wait for him to unlock the cuffs before I could get out of the backseat. He stood there while I glared at him, seemingly in no hurry to get me out.

"Unlock the cuffs and let me out " I snapped. The smarter move on his part would probably be to leave me chained to the bar—I wasn't at all sure I wouldn't hit him once I got free. I was still furious with Ranger, and since Lester worked for Ranger, my fury extended to him as well as all the Merry Men. Of course it didn't help Lester that he appeared to be _amused_ at how pissed off I was!

Lester chuckled and stepped forward to unlock the handcuffs. As soon as my hand was free, I shoved him and grabbed for the SUV keys, hoping to jump in and take off. Right then I didn't care if I left him stranded. All I wanted was to get to Ranger and give him a piece of my mind!

Unfortunately, Lester must have been prepped by Ranger, because he was ready for me. When I had pushed him, he hadn't fallen, instead pivoting away from the truck and me, so that when I grabbed for the keys, I fell flat on my face with an audible "oomph". I heard him snicker and turned my head, glaring.

Lester shook his head. **"Christ. You can be a real pain in the ass, you know that? No impulse control, but totally single-minded. Helluva combination."* **

I shrieked, outraged. My whole plan had backfired and I wasn't going to be able to make the bastard eat my dust!

Lester reached down and grabbed me by the arm and pulled me up. He kept a firm grip on me as he led the way up the steps to the cabin. Since I wasn't about to cooperate after I'd humiliated myself with that graceful escape attempt, he had to halfway drag me to the door. Nope! I wasn't going to make it easy on him and I'd be damned if I'd even brush off the dirt and leaves, either! Let him sweep up after me! Serves him right, the jerk!

Instead of unlocking the door, Lester just pushed it open, and then stood back, pushing me in, which earned him a death glare.

I was so busy glaring at Lester that I wasn't paying attention to where I was going and tripped over the braided rug in the entry way, ending up sprawling on the hardwood floor with my face in a pair of black combat boots.

"Babe"

I felt my blood start to boil all over again as I scrambled to my feet and threw myself at Ranger, intent on making sure he knew _exactly_ how angry I was at him, as well as doing as much damage as I possibly could. Too bad his ESP was working, because he caught my hands easily and held them behind my back, bringing my body up against his so tightly I couldn't move. Being in such close proximity to Ranger, my body started to react to his, and it pissed me off. I could feel his reaction against my stomach, and warmth started to invade my limbs, causing a low moan deep in my throat. I looked up into Ranger's face, intending to give him hell, but seeing his eyes turn black with lust and his lips tighten, the words died in my throat.

I couldn't look away even as his head bent closer to mine and his hold on me tightened almost painfully.

The sound of a throat clearing broke the moment and the fog seemed to lift from my brain. With it, my anger returned full force. Lester smothered a chuckle as heat suffused my face.

"Let me go" I spit out furiously, trying to pull my hands out from behind my back. No way was I going to let him get away with trying to lock me up without hearing my feelings on the subject! I was going to make sure he paid for every moment of indignity I suffered for it, too!

Ranger's face resumed it's customary "blank" expression. Only those knowing him would recognize, by the slight amusement in his eyes and the minute tilt to his lips that he was actually enjoying himself. Too bad it was at my expense, because I wasn't in the least bit amused!

Tears of frustration started leaking from my eyes as I tried and failed to break free. I didn't notice Ranger's eyes soften, or Lester quietly withdraw and close the door. Ranger manoeuvred both of my wrists into one of his hands, and brought his free hand up to gently brush my tears away in a soft caress and then leaned forward, placing his lips on my forehead in a light kiss.

All the fight drained out of me, even though tears continued to stream down my face. Sobs wracked my body as the hurt took over, leaving me feeling hopeless and drained. I kept my face averted as the sobs tore through me; I couldn't look Ranger in the face and have him see how pathetic I was. Falling apart like this made me feel like such a loser!

It took a long time for my sobs to lessen and I was shocked by the sense of loss deep within me. The betrayal I felt changed everything between us and that was hard to comprehend because Ranger is my best friend. _Was_, I corrected myself bitterly. My heart started to crack at the realization that I'd lost my best friend. I wasn't even sure if "friends" was an accurate description of what we were anymore. I wasn't sure _what_ he was or where we stood after he took my choices away.

I was so wrapped up in wondering how to deal with the loss that I didn't realize Ranger had released my wrists and had been running one hand in soothing circles across my back while the other hand was cradling my head against his chest, allowing my tears to soak his shirt. By the time I realized it I didn't have the energy or the guts to look up at him anyway. I knew my face was splotchy and red, mascara streaked around my eyes giving me a raccoon look, and snot had added the crowning touch by running and sticking under my nose and to Ranger's shirt amid the splotches of tear stains. It wouldn't be a pretty sight.

"Babe" I heard him say softly.

I didn't feel much like responding, so I simply just kept my face tucked into his shirt, only allowing a sniffle or two to escape now and then. I figured if I just kept ignoring him he'd get the message. Either that, or he'd give up. Of course, there _was_ the fact that he had the patience to watch grass grow. This made the idea of him giving up not likely. Ranger _never_ gave up. Not when he wanted something.

"Babe" he repeated, a little more insistently, but just barely.

"What?" I mumbled into his chest. Looking up was something I _really_ didn't want to do. I knew what I looked like, and I wasn't about to play Beauty and the Beast today, with me in the role of the Beast. I wasn't in a fairy tale mood.

"Will you look at me, please?" he asked in the same soft voice.

Damn! He wasn't playing fair! He knew I couldn't say no when he said please! Why couldn't he just act like the arrogant ass he was earlier so I wouldn't have to respond…

Ranger interrupted my internal argument by nudging my chin up with his forefinger until he could see my face. I kept my lids lowered; I couldn't handle seeing amusement in his eyes again today. Once was enough.

"Look at me, Babe. Please. Look at me" His voice was so quiet, I almost had to strain to hear it. I looked up into his eyes to see not amusement, but something I couldn't decipher. His eyes were soft but intense, and I wasn't sure what he thinking, which was nothing new.

He caught my gaze and held it, just as he held my chin in a now firm hold. "Will you let me explain? Please, Babe?" he asked, his voice just as quiet.

tbc

**Tohr, pg. 74, Lover Eternal, The Black Dagger Brotherhood, Written by JR Ward**


	2. Chapter 02 Ranger's POV

Disclaimer: All the usual bullshit. I still don't own them, but I sure as hell am gonna try to steal Ranger. He's mine. I won't give him back. Janet can have the rest of them. I don't make any money, yada yada yada. Huge thanks to Kym for reading and saying go for it!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 2

Ranger's POV

I OPENED THE FILE and paged through the hard copy of the intelligence report. There was no disputing the facts; it was all there in black and white. The intel we'd received prior to me giving the order lock Steph up in the safe house had left me cold. As in cold fury.

We'd had rumblings, little snippets of info coming in from our sources on the streets that were more like little pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that that didn't go to the same puzzle. A picture started to form that we didn't like; what we were seeing meant something really ugly was starting to come together. Something that was going to destroy the most important person in my life.

The idea that someone my Babe had loved, trusted, lived with, would do something so vile made me want to vomit.

I wanted to kill. Even more so than Abruzzi. At least _he_ didn't pretend to care for Steph. To love her. He didn't _bed_ her and _propose_ to her, and then use his position of authority as a police officer on petty criminals to terrorize her.

Evidently, Morelli had been hoping she'd give up her "dangerous" job and marry him. To become his requisite 'burg housewife, with 2.5 kids and a minivan, with the pot roast on the table by 6pm when he came home, _if_ he came home. I'd had it on good authority he'd been fucking Terri Gilman nearly the whole time he had been pursuing Steph, yet he was always pressuring my Babe to give up her life for him. Even putting up the front with her mother, acting the wronged boyfriend. It made me sick to my stomach. It also made me wish I'd never sent her back to him. I'd rather take a chance with _my_ enemies to protect Steph, than this one so-called _friend_, this monster, that supposedly loved her.

I was brought out of my dark musings by the faint hum of a truck climbing the gravel track leading up to the safe house. That would be Lester bringing Stephanie. I steeled myself. I wasn't looking forward to this, since I hated telling Steph any bad news regarding Morelli. I always wondered if she would think I was telling her anything negative about him was because I was just trying to give myself an edge; hence the reason I've never told her about him and Terri. I couldn't bring myself to put that doubt in her mind. She needed to come to those conclusions without my influence.

Until now. Now it meant whether or not she lived or died. Whether _I_ lived or died. For without Stephanie, I didn't live, because I knew that now. It became horribly apparent when her GPS disappeared and the reports came in about the explosion of her car. Before we got word she had gotten out of the car before it exploded. It was the longest 3 minutes of my life as I was driving to her apartment complex, although word came through at almost the same instant I reached her parking lot and saw her huddled next to her building, looking angry and scared. Angry I could live with. Not scared, though. My Babe didn't do scared. At least, not so you'd notice. Not many people could read when she was afraid, but I could. She would spit fire, and rant, but I could see when fear was hiding in her eyes, and in her posture. And she was dripping fear in waves at that moment. That was when I made the decision that might well drive her away from me forever, but ultimately save her life. I felt dread settle on my chest like a lead weight. I had no choice.

The sound of the SUV door slamming jerked me into motion. I picked up the file from my bag and went downstairs to the front room. I was going to face this now. No use putting it off until later. That was Steph's trick. Unfortunately one that until recently I had been using to deny my feelings for her and our relationship. It was make or break time, and even though she'd probably never forgive me, at least she'd _live_ to hate me. I'd have to live with that hate. It was better than the alternative. That _I_ couldn't live with.

I set the file on counter connecting the front room to the kitchen and waited for Lester to bring Steph in, relaxing my fists at my sides and blanking my face of all emotion as I had learned in the Army. I knew the more normal I seemed, the less chance Steph might panic when she saw the file, and this was normal for me. The file was going to destroy her, and I needed her to be as calm as possible before her world fell apart. That is, if she didn't hate me first. I hoped she didn't hate me first. She was going to need me, and Lester, and all of my men. God, I wish she could have seen the file _before _I had to lock her up.

I heard Steph let out a shriek of outrage, and I couldn't help but grin, because I could imagine the scenario playing out in front of the house. I'd warned Lester of Steph's abhorrence of being locked up; although by his smirk, he'd already been made aware of her displeasure of safe houses. I'm pretty sure she would have tried to grab the keys to the SUV and make a run for it, and it would have really pissed her off no end to have been thwarted. I'd have given a lot to see the look on her face. She's so beautiful when she's all fired up like that; her eyes spitting fire and her cheeks flushed.

My grin faded. I think it was going to be a long time before I'd see that look on her face again. A very long time.

The door burst open and my Babe stumbled in, her hair all wild curls with dirt all down the front of her jeans and shirt. She wasn't paying any attention where she was going, too busy glaring at Lester to notice the braided rug in the entry, so she ended up stumbling over it to land sprawled on the floor with her face planted right at my feet.

"Babe" I needed to talk to her, and since I knew she was mad, I figured at least her anger would shield her from some of the hurt that was coming at her.

Apparently this just added fuel to her fire, because she was up in an instant and flying at me. One look at her face and I knew her anger was directed at me, so I figured no matter what I did, I couldn't make it any worse. I grabbed both her hands and held them behind her back, anchoring her body tightly to mine so she couldn't squirm away. As I held her to me and breathed in her unique scent, I felt my blood begin to quicken and my cock harden at her nearness. God, it had been so long since I'd been inside her, felt her move under me, heard her moan as she was doing now...I moved my head closer to her and tightened my hold. She was staring at me like she couldn't look away.

The spell was broken as Lester cleared his throat and smothered a chuckle.

Steph's face pinkened with anger and her eyes shot out blue sparks as she bit out "Let me go" in a furious voice.

I knew my customary blank face had slammed down, but I couldn't hold back the slight tilt of my lips as amusement at her anger took over. She never failed to brighten my day when she brought her wrath down on someone, even when it was me. Only when I saw the tell-tale shimmer of tears glistening in her eyes did I understand just how much it cost her to stand toe to toe with me without flinching, and I loosened my hold slightly while nodding to Lester to leave us. Steph would only be embarrassed to have anyone witness her crying. Bad enough that I was there, but worse if Lester should see her break down as well. I could only hold her until she could regain her control, and her dignity.

I brought one hand up and gently wiped the tears off her cheeks, still securing her hands behind her back with my remaining hand. I could still feel her struggling, albeit not quite as furiously, but as if she was starting to lose a little bit of that fire I loved so much. I leaned forward and placed a light kiss on her forehead, and the fire suddenly seemed to go out. I felt her body start to shake as sobs started to wrack her body, and my heart clenched.

Shit! If this is what I'd done to her for locking her up, how the hell was I going to keep her from collapsing when she saw that file? It was going to kill her! She'd get through it, but she'd need help first. Oh God! My Babe!

I let go of her hands and started running slow circles around her back, hoping it would soothe her while cradling her head against my chest with my other hand. Huge, wrenching sobs were vibrating her small frame, each and every sound ripping a fresh hole across my soul. I felt like I was crying inside for her as she sobbed her heart out, and it was all because of me. My fault. And it wasn't going to get any better.

I held her for a long time as her cries slowly decreased and her sniffles became fewer and farther between. My t-shirt was soaked with her tears and smears of makeup and snot. I didn't care. Soon enough there would be more to worry about. I needed her to listen to me now anyway. There were decisions to be made, and it was time for her to help make them. They wouldn't be easy ones.

"Babe" I said softly. I was hoping she was ready. Evidently not, because she was ignoring me. I tried again, a little more insistently.

"Babe"

"What?" She mumbled this into my chest. I could tell she didn't want to look up at me. When she cried, her face would get all splotchy and red, and she hated anyone seeing her that way, especially with her makeup all runny. I thought she was beautiful anyway.

"Will you look at me, please?" I asked in the same soft voice. I know I was taking a huge risk, asking her please, since I'd known she would never say no to me when I asked her that. It was a dirty trick, but it was the only way I could get her to look at me. I knew it, and she knew it. I could tell she was having an internal argument with herself, so I thought I'd give her an 'out', and take the decision out of her hands.

I crooked a finger under her chin and nudged her head up so I could look into her eyes. She was being stubborn, though and refused to raise her eyes. She kept her eyes closed, as if the sight of me pained her. I wasn't prepared for the stab of pain this thought caused me. This little white girl from the 'burg held more power over me then the most powerful government in the world, and it humbled me.

"Look at me, Babe. Please. Look at me". It was the closest I'd ever come to begging in my life, but I'd get down on my knees if I had to. She must have realized it, because her eyes fixed on mine and held steady, waiting as my eyes held hers.

"Will you let me explain? Please, Babe?" I asked quietly. I was this close to letting the pleading creep into my voice, but I couldn't let her know how tenuous the hold was on my desperation for her to let me make her understand why I had taken the steps I did; basically kidnapping her and locking her up without talking to her, without even telling her what had happened or why.

She must have sensed something; some tell-tale sign in my eyes, or her spidey-senses kicked in. Something, because suddenly her eyes widened and she froze, her body tensing in response to some inner alarm.

"Rrranger? What's wrong?" She croaked out, her voice raw from her crying jag. She suddenly had my arm in a vice grip, and if I hadn't been so focused on her face, her eyes, I might have winced.

I cleared my throat, betraying my nervousness, and her eyes widened even further. If I hadn't been so damned scared about her reaction, I might have laughed. I was never nervous! I closed my eyes, counted to ten, and plunged in.

"Babe, I need you to just listen to me for a minute. Please, don't say anything until I'm finished. After I'm done, then you can talk, okay? Can you do that for me, Babe?" I held my breath, waiting for her to answer, praying she'd give me a chance.

Her jaw opened and shut like she wanted to say something, but no words came out. Finally, she just nodded her head yes, her eyes wide with confusion.

I let out a breath and picked up her hands in mine, rubbing small circles on the backs of her fingers, just the light contact giving me the confidence to look into her eyes. I needed her to see my eyes, to see the truth of what I was going to say to her.

"Babe, you know I love you, right? That I've loved you for a long time?" I paused, making sure she was understanding what I was trying to say.

Her eyes clouded, but she nodded. Before she could say anything, I continued.

"I know I qualified it before, about loving you in my own way, but the truth is, Babe, my own way is the only way I know how. It's with all of me; my heart, my mind, my soul" I shrugged my shoulders. "All of me. I should have told this to you a long time ago, instead of playing mind games with you, but honestly, I was scared of how you made me feel. I'm not used to needing anyone, and until you came along, I didn't. You turned my world upside down, and I didn't have a clue. There's a saying in a book Tank read to me a while back that goes like this: **I was dead until you found me, though I breathed. I was sightless, though I could see. And then you came… and I was awakened."***

I paused and swallowed, hoping she understood, really understood what I was trying to get through to her. This was it, I thought. This was the only chance I was going to have to make her realize just what she was to me, what she meant in my life, in my heart, because she held my heart. I just hoped to God she would let me hold hers.

"Do you understand what I'm saying, Babe?" I looked into her eyes and my heart sank. The pain I saw reflected there wasn't what I'd hoped to see. I'd hoped to see happiness, at least for a while, since I knew it wouldn't be there for long. The file would take care of that. I shuttered my eyes and tamped down the pain that lanced through my chest. I'd make it through this, then deal with the rejection later. When I was alone. Just like every other time she'd gone back to Morelli. I was used to it.

tbc

**Zsadist, pg. 424, Lover Awakened, The Black Dagger Brotherhood, Written by JR Ward**


	3. Chapter 03 Steph's POV

Disclaimer: Okay, you know the drill. Janet owns all, makes all the money, I have to put them all back, yeah yeah yeah! I still refuse to give back Ranger, dammit! He may be sad now, but just you wait, muchachas! He's gonna be just fine! Maybe. Then again…

Thank you BB and Kym for your unwavering support on this story. You guys rock!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 3

Steph's POV

RANGER'S VOICE ECHOED IN my ears, as if it was coming from a long ways through a tunnel, seemingly bouncing from one side to the other. I couldn't seem to focus on any group of words after he'd quoted some line out of a book. Ranger didn't _do_ relationships, so why was he doing this? Especially after all the hurt he'd put me through today. The choices he'd taken from me, and the friendship he'd thrown away. It all seemed so surreal, so _different_ from the Ranger I'd always known. And then, _then_ he'd paused, holding my hands and lightly caressing them while staring into my eyes, his voice soft and yet so very intense.

"Do you understand what I'm saying, Babe?" he'd asked softly, and I fought my way up through the haze of pain and looked into his eyes. I couldn't be sure, but for an instant I could have sworn I saw a flash of naked pain before his blank mask slammed down and he shuttered his gaze, his eyes becoming black empty pools of cold nothing.

I gasped, pulled my hands from his and stepped back from him as if he'd burned me, the change so sudden that I couldn't control a sudden shiver of fear. Not once, _never_, had he ever shown that cold hard face to me before. To others, but not to_ me_. Suddenly, I was no longer Babe, _his_ Babe and it hurt, oh it hurt! The waves of pain I'd felt earlier when he'd locked me in the SUV washed over me, and the sense of loss all rushed back, almost choking me with the bitterness of the betrayal I'd felt. More memories came rushing in; our one night together, that one perfect night, when I'd felt cherished and loved, and then the rejection of the morning after. One after the other they all flashed in my mind, and suddenly I was on my knees, clutching my arms around my waist as if I'd split apart if I didn't hold myself together. I opened my mouth, but couldn't draw a breath; there seemed to be no air in the room. I felt like there was a huge band around my chest, tightening, squeezing, closing everything off. It was horrifying. I felt like I was dying, and at that very moment, I would have welcomed it, if only to escape the intense pain, the _devastation_ that permeated my entire being. There was a buzzing in my ears and dark spots were starting to starting to cloud my vision, and I felt like I was floating away.

I wasn't aware of exactly when Ranger was there, but suddenly his arms were surrounding me, comforting me with soothing caresses and murmuring into my ear in a low voice that sounded an awful lot like Spanish. His warmth was like an all encompassing curtain, protecting me, calming me, and then suddenly I could breathe again. I took big gulps of air, expanding my lungs, and the spots started to dissipate and the pain in my chest receded slowly, finally, and then the buzzing was gone and only a dull ache in my chest remained.

I lifted my head and looked into Ranger's eyes, prepared to see the cold look that had been there just moments (was it only moments?) before. Instead, I was amazed to see a look of infinite love and tenderness, and it floored me.

"Why?" I croaked out, my voice reflecting confusion at this sudden change in his display of emotion, as well as the whole confession thing. It was all so out of character that I couldn't wrap my head around it. This was _not_ the Ranger _I_ knew!

What happened next was a moment I'll remember for the rest of my life. Ranger's face actually showed emotion, and he looked _uncomfortable_, as if he was unsure how to proceed. I was shocked, and I guess it showed, because he seemed to gain a little more confidence, a little more assertiveness. God, if I didn't know better, I'd say he'd never spoke with a woman before! It showed an endearing vulnerability that made my heart melt, and I felt a prickling behind my eyes that made me blink furiously.

I was NOT going to cry again, no sirree! I was, however, going to find out why Ranger had locked me up without even discussing it with me, poured his heart out to me (did he _really_ tell me he loved me with _no_ qualifiers?) and then shut me out, and now he was holding me and showing me all this emotion, all this _feeling_! I couldn't take it, all this back and & forth, but then it hit me. That was _exactly_ what I'd been doing to Ranger for the past 3 years! Oh my God, no wonder the man didn't want me! Who'd want a relationship with someone who was constantly hot and cold with them the way I'd been with Ranger? I closed my eyes and hung my head, too ashamed to even look at him. I deserved every single dark look he threw at me, and then some. It made so much sense now, the "no relationship speech". What didn't make sense, though, was his pouring his heart out to me, unless that was to teach me a lesson. Well, lesson learned, Ranger. Thanks. Can I go home now?

I untangled myself from Ranger's arms, mumbled something about needing the restroom, and fled. I had to get away from him before I made an even bigger fool of myself, so I needed to put myself back together, and show Ranger I that I now understood what he'd been trying to tell me. No grass growing under this girl's feet anymore. There wouldn't be need for any more lessons, because I wouldn't be confusing him anymore. No more hot & cold Babe. It would be just plain old Stephanie from now on. The thought of never hearing him call me 'Babe' again brought a sob to my throat that had me clapping a hand over my mouth to keep it from escaping. It wouldn't do me any good anyway, except invite his pity, and that's something I die first before I let happen.

I finally found the right door for the bathroom and locked myself inside, almost screaming at my reflection in the mirror. I didn't have my bag of makeup or hair products, and it was gonna take a miracle to repair the damage looking back at me. My face was puffy and streaked from crying, makeup was smeared all over, mascara had made tracks down my face, and my hair! Yikes!

There was nothing else I could do, so I just grabbed a washcloth and scrubbed my face clean, making sure I'd gotten all the makeup off my face and neck. Next, I picked out all the leaves and gunk from my hair and tried to brush as many of the tangles out the best I could. When I'd done as much as was possible, I pulled it back and dampened it a bit to keep it from sticking out, then pulled a scrunchy from my pocket and pulled it into a messy ponytail. Good thing I'd taken to keeping a few of those on me just in case. Too bad I'd needed to!

When I was done, I stepped back and ran a critical eye over myself. I looked 10 times better than when I'd walked in, which wasn't much of an improvement, but still, it _was_ an improvement! I wouldn't win any beauty contests, but I wouldn't scare any small children away in the vicinity. I almost laughed. Yeah, like there _were_ any small children anywhere around here! Who was I kidding! Next thing you know, I'd be conjuring up puppies and kittens! That's when reality reared it's ugly head again. OMIGOD! Rex! I'd forgotten about him! I had to get him. He'd starve! I was a horrible, terrible hamster mommy!

I scrambled to the door, unlocking it, and practically tore it off the hinges opening it in my haste to open it. It slammed back against the wall as I burst through the doorway, racing frantically through the house to the front door, my tunnel vision absolute in that I didn't see anything or anyone in my quest to get to Rex. I threw open the front door, intending to jump into the SUV and rescue my hamster son. Unfortunately, I forgot this was a safe house complete with body guards, and good ones at that.

Just before I got through the doorway, a muscled arm snaked around my waist and drew me back inside, slamming me against a hard warm body, forcing my breath out with a whoosh. The other arm attached to the body behind me reached out and pushed the door closed, which didn't piss me off _quite_ as much as the chuckle that followed it. I didn't have time for pissed, though. I had more pressing matters, like rescuing my hamster son from starvation; I'd deal with Mr. Chuckles later.

Too bad he had other ideas, 'cause he was ruining my plans for the great hamster rescue. His mouth so close to my ear whispering wasn't making clear thought very conducive for me then. In fact it was downright nonexistent. Seems my panties bit the dust too. Things were suddenly pretty damp down under, and my legs weren't working so hot any more.

Some damn good feelings were starting to work their way down my body again, but then I guess God decided to throw another monkey wrench into my day. Either that, or Lester was getting a little payback, because just then one of the little pillows from the sofa in the living room sailed through the air and smacked me in the arm.

"What the hell!" I yelled out, startled. What? I was preoccupied! Although I _am_ glad Lester interrupted, come to think of it. After all my musings in the bathroom, it would be psychological suicide to forget that very valuable lesson I'd just learned today. Remember plain old Stephanie? _She's_ who you are now, I told myself. Ranger doesn't want Babe.

_But he doesn't want Stephanie either _a nagging little voice said. _I know that_, I argued with the voice. _Why do you_ _think I'm trying to get out of here?_ My internal debate was interrupted, _again_, by another chuckle in my ear.

"Need to be more aware of your surroundings, Babe". His voice was whisper soft, a touch of amusement clearly evident in his tone, and my heart clenched painfully. I pulled out of his hold, taking a step back and turned around, shoving my hands in the pockets of my jeans to keep them from shaking and kept my gaze at his chin. This was it, my first appearance as "plain old Stephanie", and I was hoping I could pull it off.

"I, em.." I cleared my throat. "I need to go get Rex. I can't leave him alone. Or I could just go home, you know? I mean, em…I'm sure you have better things to do then hang out here with me. Besides, this is costing you a lot of money, and em…well…" it seemed like it got awfully quiet suddenly, and the tension in the room ratcheted up to just this side of nuclear.

Uh oh!


	4. Chapter 04 Ranger's POV

Disclaimer: You know, I'm really sick of typing the same thing over, and over, and over…Can I just say "ditto". Except I never tire of saying "Ranger is mine". Too bad he's not…yet. *grin* Still working on that one. One of these days…Anyone know a good lawyer?

The characters of Lindy Udink, Guy Roberts, Nick Karlson, Ralph Alvillar and Jake Serna are real, just in my world. Elvis was real too, just not a person. *wink*

Huge & hearty thanks to Kate (MMO) for betaing this for me. Bless you, Babe!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 4

Ranger's POV

I STOOD LOOKING AT Stephanie as she faced me, her gaze pointed somewhere around my chin, and for once I couldn't read her face. Her hands were shoved in her pockets, though. A clear indication she was nervous, and she started to speak.

"I, em.." She cleared her throat. "I need to go get Rex. I can't leave him alone. Or I could just go home, you know? I mean, em…I'm sure you have better things to do than hang out here with me. Besides, this is costing you a lot of money, and em…well…" she trailed off, seeming to sense the tension in the room. Tension that seemed to mount by the second.

As soon as she'd mentioned going home, I'd felt my whole body stiffen; I couldn't help my reaction to the thought of her leaving here, leaving _me._ I know she felt something for me. It was clear in her reaction when I'd closed myself off when I'd stupidly thought she was rejecting me; she was in pain, and I'd shocked her. She thought she'd lost me, I _know_ it! Then why did she want to leave? What had happened? And she wouldn't look at me, wouldn't show me that expressive face that I loved so much. She acted as if I had never said anything to her, never told her how I felt, literally poured my heart out to her! Did she think I didn't mean it? I know I qualified it before, but I hadn't this time. Was that what she was expecting? But I'd told her there were no qualifications! Didn't she understand what that meant?

Another thought hit me. Was she still in love with Morelli? As soon as that thought came I almost laughed. Even if she doesn't know the whole story about his activities, she still doesn't trust him enough to call him when she needs help, so why would she trust him with her heart? That didn't make sense either.

The only other reason I could think of was that she didn't love me. At least not with the depth that I loved her. But then why was she so hurt? What was going on?

Lester must have sensed my frustration; I know it didn't show in my face, because he chose that moment to interrupt my inward musings. After all, he knew the contents of the file almost as well as I did. He and my men were almost as determined as I was to put an end to the campaign of terror that had been a constant in Steph's life for the past few weeks. As much as they all loved and admired her, her safety and peace of mind were their first priority, as was mine. Even if they did enjoy her antics when they were assigned to "Bombshell Duty", as Tank dubbed it.

"Boss, I just got a text from Ram. He needs you to call him ASAP. Seems he might have more info to add to the file". Lester's voice was soft, yet I detected a subtle note of urgency. Maybe because he was trying to ease the tension by redirecting my thoughts and actions to safer topics, as well as give Steph a chance to regroup. Then again, Lester has never been Mr. Sensitive when it comes to deeper feelings; he just knows the signs when I'm about to say something that might be construed as autocratic, which usually tends to piss Steph off. I just might have to thank him later. In private.

"Everything's set for Steph in the end room. Take her stuff up and show her where everything's at, then join me in my office," I threw over my shoulder as I spun on my heels and headed out of the room. I didn't even look at Steph then. I was pretty sure she needed to pull herself together, even though I sensed her relaxing slightly when Lester interrupted us. I might be upset, but maybe I just needed to let it go for now. There were more important issues at stake right now, and the sooner it was finished, the sooner we could get back to living. Hopefully together, if I didn't blow it again.

I hit speed dial on my phone for the control room, since that's where Ram had been practically living since this whole mess started. He had a real soft spot for my Babe; she was a dead ringer for his twin sister Jennifer, who was away at school in California. He was also my best man for ferreting out the information we needed from sources he'd tapped. Sources that had a tendency to close up when approached by anyone else. With Vince as his partner in situations like this, there seemed to be nothing we couldn't find out.

"Yo, Boss," I heard as Ram picked up, his voice betraying a touch of anxiety. This couldn't be good. Ram _never_ gets agitated, especially to the point that he actually sounds it. I steeled myself for bad news.

"Report." I barked out. Good thing this was my typical response. It wouldn't do for my men to think I was anything but focused on the situation at hand. My personal life was never to be open to speculation for my employees. My friends were bad enough.

"We just got word that Benny Carlucci's been found dead in the warehouse district. Looks like he was worked over pretty good before they put a bullet in his forehead," Ram stated, clearly frustrated at this turn of events.

Fuck! "Looks like someone's cleaning house," I mused aloud.

Carlucci was to have given a deposition tomorrow morning at the DA's office in regards to our situation. This wasn't good, since he was the second witness to turn up dead in as many days. Now the question was, how do we prove Morelli is eliminating witnesses? Because there was no doubt in my mind who Carlucci's killer was. It also indicated that Morelli knew someone was poking around. I only hoped he hadn't caught on to who exactly was on to him. He could easily turn Steph by making up a plausible explanation for certain actions, since he was such a "good guy" according to the 'Burg. Unfortunately, my past actions with her would only help him to convince her of his innocence, whereas they worked against me. That deposition would have cemented the connection of Morelli's involvement with Steph's stalkers. This was going to make it harder on me to prove to my Babe what his role was in her recent difficulties without her thinking of any ulterior motives on my part. At least as far as he was concerned.

"Where are the other seven? We'll need to track them down and put them in safe houses until the DA has their testimonies," I told Ram, pinching the bridge of my nose with a thumb and forefinger and squinting my eyes tightly. I was starting to get a headache; the last thing I needed right now. I needed a new plan instead.

I'd have to push the DA, which wasn't going to make their office very happy. They were already balking at the thought of one of TPD's finest being as duplicitous as we'd claimed. Only the fact that I'd shown up at Joe Juniak's office with a talking witness, as well as promised cooperation from the man himself, had convinced the DA to even consider looking at the evidence we had accumulated so far, including taking sworn statements from some not very upstanding citizens. Fortunately, Mayor Juniak was a big fan of Steph's, besides being her honorary Uncle. He was also one of the most honest politicians I'd ever met. He didn't like dirty cops, which was a trait shared by all of my men. Even if Steph weren't the target, they'd still push to bring him down. One point in my favor, at least.

Ram came back on line to update me on the whereabouts of our remaining witnesses. "We've already picked up Eula Rothridge and Lindy Udink. Since they're women and homeless, we figured we'd get them first. We've got them tucked away in the apartment in Philly. Guy Roberts and Nick Karlson were last reported seen with Dougie the Dealer and Mooner this morning at Dougie's house. Mooner said they left after doing some business, but didn't know where they were headed. We're already tracking them down. As for Ralph Alvillar, Elvis Diana and Jake Serna; Alvillar's been holed up with his old lady in a dive on Stark Street, Serna's in **jail** from an assault charge; he took a couple of **shots** at his next door neighbor, and Diana's in the wind. So far no leads as to where he might be. He doesn't seem to have too many people on his friends list, so he's been harder to track. **Tank** figured we might be able to have the Philly DA take Eula's and Lindy's statements there in the interests of their safety. We also got Eddie Gazarra to put Serna in segregated lockup, claiming he's got impetigo so he'd be isolated. Eric and Manny have been touching base with Eddie throughout the day, making sure Morelli doesn't try anything. Since he's been working with us, he's also been keeping us apprised of Morelli's whereabouts just in case he goes near any of the other witnesses."

"Good. Anything else?" We needed to keep as many of these people alive as possible. The fact that they were more or less disreputable witnesses wasn't to our advantage. The fact that there were so many was. Barely.

Ram continued on. "Woody came up with an idea on how to keep Morelli occupied until we can locate the witnesses. Seems an old buddy of his at the LAPD, Jack Riley, knows Morelli. He thought he'd have some **fun** and regale Morelli with Riley's exploits while Woody worked with him. You know, kinda buddy up to him and keep him out of our hair for a while. Might not work for long, but it could mean the difference between getting there first, or being too late". Ram was starting to sound a little deflated; who knows the last time the guy slept?

Since it was getting late, and we'd been working practically non-stop on this, I figured we could all use a short break. Ram definitely needed sleep.

"Have the teams report any new developments to Lester. You, Vince and Tank need to take a break. Go eat, sleep a few hours, then get back on it first thing in the morning. We've got everything secured here for the night". Even though I'd given him the order to take some down time, I knew he'd be back on deck before first light. My men gave a whole new meaning to the word 'persistent'. It also helped that I scared the shit out of them.

"Will do, Boss. G'night." Ram was the only one who had what Steph termed as 'phone manners'. I grinned as I closed my phone; I'm sure her jaw would have dropped had she heard. My men weren't rude, just prudent. Why waste time on ending a call when just a second or two could mean the difference between a good or bad outcome? Some habits just weren't worth correcting sometimes.

"**Ranger**?"

There was my Babe, standing in the doorway looking so apologetic, as if I was going to lecture her. I'm sure she was afraid I'd think she was eavesdropping. The truth was, I'd felt her coming down the hall just before I ended the call. I lifted an eyebrow in question; partly to ask what she wanted, and to irritate her. She hated that she couldn't imitate the action. She looked damn cute trying, though!

"I wanted to thank you for bringing Rex. I appreciate your thoughtfulness in remembering him," she said softly, keeping her eyes focused just to the side of my face. She still had her hands shoved in her pockets and a surprisingly unemotional look on her face. Something was eating at her, but she was refusing to allow her thoughts to show.

Had she seen the file?

A/N: the words in bold are part of a challenge on Perfectly Plum. Hope this counts!

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	5. Chapter 05 Lester's POV

Disclaimer: Ditto ditto ditto! Ugh! My apologies for taking so long to update. RL is kicking me in the butt lately!

This chapter is dedicated to James & Rena, and their new bundle of joy, Jena Kay. Welcome to the world, sweetie!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 5

Lester's POV

I DON'T KNOW HOW she does it, but Bombshell sure manages to find the worst trouble imaginable, ending up smack dab in the middle of it. I gotta hand it to her, though. This time _definitely_ wasn't her fault, inasmuch as she's the cause of it, after all is said and done.

I don't have a clue why, really, Morelli has suddenly become everything he's sworn to protect the public from. He used to be a good man. A good cop. How he could become this twisted over one woman is anyone's guess, although this _is_ Bombshell we're talking about here. She's got Ric all tied up, and she doesn't even realize it. And the guys wonder why _I'm_ a player. Fuck oh dear!

She really is a sweetheart. Smart as a whip when it comes to solving a case or locating a wayward skip. Hell, all of us would die defending her. She's put enough of us in the hospital or on the injured list, that's for sure. I think Ric's permanently out of circulation, though. Maybe not physically, but he won't be playing the ladies anymore. Not that he ever really did. More like they tried to play him. I can't say as I really blame him in regards to Steph; all of us guys are more than halfway in love with her. It just so happens she's taken. I just wish to God she'd realize it. Ric has.

The whole drive up to the cabin she'd fumed and muttered under her breath all the nasty thoughts she'd had about Ric's decision to "kidnap" her and lock her in a safe house. I kinda felt sorry for her, but not enough to agree with her. We all knew her aversion to being locked up; Ric had tried unsuccessfully several times before, hence the plan we'd had to concoct this time. I had to agree with him on this, even though the method was slightly unorthodox. Too much was on the line now, and our opponent wasn't going to be an easy catch. The situation was highly volatile, and we couldn't take any chances that she'd come out of this one unscathed anymore. If things kept on the way they had been going the past two weeks, I don't think _anyone_ was gonna walk away without a few more scars, both physically _and _emotionally. Too bad Bomber was gonna feel the brunt of the battle, and by osmosis our whole "family". Personally, I think it was hitting Ric even harder, since he's the one who fucked up and sent her back to the son-of-a-bitch.

Yeah, I knew about that dumb-ass move, as did Tank and Bobby. We were too close, closer than brothers really, for anything major like that not getting found out by at least one of us. The thing is, when one of us hurts, we all hurt. We've gone through too damn much shit together over the years for something that big and moronic to not hit our radar. The fact that we could all read Steph's face like a book pretty much summed up the situation long before we'd managed to drag the truth out of Ric. Stupid fucker. He should have just given in a long time ago. Might have saved us all a few bruises and broken bones.

If I hadn't worked with Bomber so much, I'd have never believed she'd pull the shit she did when we got to the cabin. Good thing Ric warned me, although I'd laughed when he had, in all seriousness, told me to watch out for an escape attempt as soon as I cut her loose when we got there. I had to give her marks for trying; if I hadn't been on the lookout for it, she just might have succeeded. I felt pretty bad when she'd fallen flat on her face though, but just like Ric's said, she's so damn cute when she's pissed. I'm just glad she didn't try to relocate my "package". She was mad enough to do some serious damage, and that's not something a guy with my reputation can afford to happen!

'Course, she just _had_ to kiss the floor again when we got inside, too busy glaring at me to pay attention. Ric's _always _telling her to be more aware of her surroundings, but she just can't pass up an opportunity to give us shit when she's mad. I still can't believe she tripped on that damn rug in the entry way, though. She _is_, after all, from the 'Burg, and I've yet to see a 'Burg house without the requisite floor mat inside to wipe your feet on when entering. Those 'Burg women take their household decorating shit seriously!

I felt like shit when Ric picked her up and she started sobbing. None of us like to see her upset, and the hurt in those sobs really tore me up. I damn near ran out of there when Ric indicated with a nod to take a hike and leave them alone for a while. I'm just glad I didn't have to hang around any longer and listen to her crying. I _hate_ it when women cry! I never know a single fucking thing to do to make them feel better. And this is Bomber, the woman I loved like a sister, and Ric's soul mate; a member of our family. You don't let family get hurt without someone paying for it. We'd all rather take a bullet rather than see her hurt, and when there's nothing you can do to comfort them, it really tears our guts out. Thank God Ric was here to deal with her; I'd probably give in and drive her right back home just to put that smile back on her face. That wouldn't really be the smart thing to do. The shit we dug up on Morelli's activities was gonna hurt her even more, and that wasn't something _any_ of us were willing to have happen.

I'd gone outside to pull the SUV around to the back then, where there was a shed with just enough room to park two vehicles in that was hidden by the cabin as you came up the road. I snagged a duffle bag stuffed with some of Steph's clothes and chuckled as I swung the huge doors closed, snapping the hasp into place that had a hefty padlock hanging open on the loop. We usually never locked it, but Ric wasn't taking any chances on Bomber snagging a set of keys and hightailing it out of there. Our luck she'd blow the other one up just to keep us from catching up to her and dragging her back. She didn't get that nickname for nothing!

I figured I'd probably be safe enough to go back inside by then, so I'd sauntered up the steps to the front porch and slipped inside the door, closing it softly to avoid startling anyone. I made it inside just in time to see Steph disappear down the hall towards the bathroom. Ric was just standing there watching her walk away, a frown creasing his forehead like something was bothering him. Not his usual look where she was concerned; he could read her better than anyone, so needless to say, I was a little perplexed. I slung the duffle bag down onto the sofa and looked over at Ric.

"Ric?" I said, a questioning note in my voice. He was harder to read than Bomber was easy, even after all these years. Man, sometimes I just wish he'd ease off a little, especially where Steph was concerned. Being such a retard in the relationship department should've clued him in to asking for some advice, instead of trying to figure her out. After all, who better to give me the skinny on women than me? I actually saw the same women more than once, so I'm no slouch when it comes to deciphering some of their idiosyncrasies. Not long term, of course, but enough to pick up on a few things. I've also had conversations with Steph that lasted longer than sixty seconds at a time, so I'd gotten to know her pretty well. Okay, better than most of my dates, at least!

Ric cocked an eyebrow at me, waiting for me to go on. I could tell he was still a little preoccupied with Steph, but at least I had his attention. For the moment, anyway.

"You tell her about the file yet?" I asked. Somehow I don't think that was what had him frowning, yet something was seriously screwing with his thought processes. I'd bet my left nut Bomber said or did something to knock him for a loop. He wasn't usually that contemplative when it came to her, except when she'd fuck up his plans all to hell and he'd have to come up with a new one. Which, come to think of it, happened more often then not.

He shook his head no, then sighed. I mean he really sighed! Shit, what'd she say to him? This is just not normal for him. I think maybe she's rubbing off on him a whole lot more than he's noticed. Next thing you know, he's gonna be doing world class eye rolls!

"I told her I loved her, with no qualifications, and she damn near started crying again. Then she started to hyperventilate like I'd told her I was gonna ship her off to some third-world country when I backed off, so I hold her and try to soothe her, then she asks me why and then runs away! I could swear she loves me, yet now she's acting like I've got the plague! Fuck, Lester! _What did I do wrong_?" Ric's voice had started to rise as he went on, but the last sentence was just barely above a whisper.

Aw hell! He pulls his head out of his ass, and she turns turtle. Fucking Murphy! What was it gonna take to put these two out of their misery? I'm starting to think seriously about locking them both in a padded cell! Naked! Now _there's _a visual I didn't need! Steph, yeah, but Ric? I mean, I love the guy and all, but I just don't swing that way!

What I'd give to be in the middle of a good war right now. This shit was just way too complicated for me to comprehend. Give me a Columbian drug cartel to decimate _any_ day! Better odds on keeping my sanity!

"Man, I can't even _begin_ to figure this shit out. I'd say just put a bullet in _both_ your heads! You two drive me fucking crazy!" I said, exasperated. I turned and flopped down onto the sofa. How many more hours until my relief arrived? No way was I gonna make it through the night with these two!

Ric walked over to the front door, then turned and took a couple steps towards me and stood there, running his hands over his face as if to erase the confusion clearly visible to me. He opened his mouth to say something when we heard the bathroom door slam open and Steph came barreling into the entry way. She flung the front door open and started to flee out the doorway when Ric turned and snagged an arm around her waist, landing her with a resounding _whoosh! _against his chest as her breath was pushed out of her lungs. He reached out with his other arm and closed the door, then chuckled in her ear as she stood there with a slightly dazed expression on her face. She seemed to just melt into him as he held her firmly against him; evidently their bodies were in a too heightened state of awareness of each other to remember that everything wasn't peachy keen at the moment. Or that they had an audience.

I decided to break up the little mutual admiration thing their bodies had going there; I wasn't up to watching any live-action porn at the moment. I mean, these are two of my best friends, and I'm just not kinky enough for that shit. Too much like watching your parents fool around; I _don't_ wanna go there! My only weapon within reach, of course, were the throw pillows on the sofa. So, I did what any self-respecting brother would do. I lobbed the pillow over the back of the sofa and nailed Steph right in the arm, effectively breaking their mood.

"What the hell!" Steph yelled. Clearly she wasn't too pleased at the interruption. Guess she was in a zone, 'cause I sure as shit startled her. She seemed to be trying to gather her wits together, which I gotta say seemed to require an awful lot of effort on her part.

"Need to be more aware of your surroundings, Babe". I heard Ric say softly next to her ear. You could tell he was amused at her. Again.

She pulled out of Ric's arms, turned, and took a step away from him, shoving her hands into the front pockets of her jeans. For the first time ever, I saw her face take on a neutral expression as she focused her gaze somewhere around his chin. This was a new twist. I raised an eyebrow as I looked from one to the other.

"I, em.." She cleared her throat and began speaking again. "I need to go get Rex. I can't leave him alone. Or I could just go home, you know? I mean, em…I'm sure you have better things to do then hang out here with me. Besides, this is costing you a lot of money, and em…well…". Her voice trailed off as tension started to invade the room in epic proportions. Holy shit! Was she crazy?

I saw Ric stiffen. Not good. Not good at all! Damn, but Bombshell's got some balls! Ric seemed to have closed up, yet I could see his mind working furiously, trying to figure out just what the hell she was thinking. I sure as hell couldn't read her. Where'd she learn that little trick? Oh. Silly me. Ranger 101. She must've taken the correspondence course in the last few minutes, because she had it down pat. Fuck _me_!

I was just about ready to say something really witty to break the tension a tad when I felt my phone vibrate. I checked my messages and saw an urgent text from Ram, saying he needed Ric to call him ASAP. Seems he had some new info to add to the file. Hopefully this was good news. Wonder why he was texting me and not Ric?

Hoping to dispel the atmosphere that had suddenly taken over the room at Steph's little declaration, I spoke up in a soft yet urgent tone, hoping to rein Ric in before he went off and said something stupid enough to guaranty Steph's temper to go for round 3. Hey, I'm not ashamed to take it where I can get it with these two!

"Boss, I just got a text from Ram. He needs you to call him ASAP. Seems he might have more info to add to the file". I let out a breath as Ric turned away from her and seemed to morph back into Ranger. Thank God!

"Everything's set for Steph in the end room. Take her stuff up and show her where everything's at, then join me in my office" he threw over his shoulder as he spun on his heels and headed out of the room towards his office. He didn't even spare a glance at Steph, but his mind was probably already focused on his upcoming phone call. Then again, he could have just been using the opportunity to get his anger under control.

Seems like Steph was taking full advantage of the interruption also, because she squeezed her eyes shut and swallowed what looked like a lump the size of Texas. She turned her head and raised her eyes to about my chest and swallowed another lump.

"I'd appreciate it if you could call and arrange for someone to feed Rex. I'll just go up to my room now, if you could please show me which one is mine?" she squeaked out, her voice barely above a hoarse whisper. I guess she recognized how close she came to seeing Ric lose it just then. Smart girl.

I reached down and grabbed the duffle bag I'd brought in earlier, starting up the stairs with Steph trailing behind. She was awful quiet; more so than what was normal after any disagreement I'd ever witnessed her have with _anyone_. If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say she was shutting down until she could get somewhere private. She didn't like to cry in front of anyone, especially us, but from the silence I'd bet my right nut she was gonna break when the door shut. I'd heard her once or twice before after Ric had dropped her off at her apartment. I was on guard duty outside when she'd had a stalker and Morelli had blown up at her. Fucking prick!

I reached the end of the hallway upstairs and stopped before the last door, pushing it open and then stepping aside for Steph to get past me. I set the bag down on a chair just inside the door, then turned to look at her.

She was standing with her back to me, but she had pulled her hands out of her pockets and was hugging herself like she was cold, her head bent forward with her chin tucked into her chest. She must've thought I'd left, because suddenly her body started to shake like she was crying, and she started to slide to the floor. I heard a choked sob, and then suddenly she was flat out bawling.

Aw dammit anyway!

tbc


	6. Chapter 06 Steph's POV

Disclaimer: See the previous chapters. This just gets too damn old! That, and I'm feeling lazy. Hope you like the story so far! I'd appreciate any comments or suggestions you have. I know the story could use a lot of improvement, so feel free to drop me a note! Massive thanks to BB for being the fantastic beta that she is! You make this story read so much better, Babe!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 6

Steph's POV

WHEN RANGER TURNED AND strode out of the room without even looking at me, I knew right then I'd lost any semblance of friendship with him that might have otherwise remained. _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ If I had just kept my mouth shut, I might've still had a chance to at least keep him in my life, even if he didn't want me for a relationship. After the way he looked at me after I told him I should go home, so cold and angry, I'd be surprised if he deigned to live in the same state with me! _God, I was such a loser!_

Maybe my mom was right. I shouldn't expect anything more from Ranger, or anyone else for that matter. He wasn't willing to give me more, and I couldn't settle for anything less than everything from him. I guess I should just make peace with the fact that he wasn't going to be in my life anymore and move on. Where, I didn't know.

I swallowed a huge lump that seemed about ready to choke me. I wasn't gonna cry! No way! After all, I _am_ the Queen of Denial, so I'll just have to suck it up. I'd put today on my mental shelf and deal with it later. Just like always, right?

I swallowed again, trying to coat my suddenly dry throat enough to at least ask Lester to do me a favor. I needed to make sure Rex was taken care of, since it didn't look like I'd be going anywhere soon. I raised my gaze just enough to partially look up at Lester. I couldn't bring myself to look at his face though. I don't think I could have handled his look of pity at the moment.

"I'd appreciate it if you could call and arrange for someone to feed Rex. I'll just go up to my room now, if you could please show me which one is mine?" I managed to squeak out of my throat that seemed to be clogged up, barely managing to make it audible.

He didn't say anything, just reached down and grabbed my duffle bag, swinging it along like it weighed nothing, and started up the stairs. I followed along behind him like a zombie, not really feeling anything but numb. Since he hadn't said a word to me, I figured he was more than likely pissed at me too. I'd probably be better off just keeping my mouth shut and do what I was told from now on. I'd always thought of Lester as a friend, but he was Ranger's friend first, and I didn't want to come between that friendship. I felt like I'd screwed up enough relationships already to last me a lifetime!

Lester stopped at the end of the hall in front of the last door and pushed it open. He then stood aside for me to enter, silently placing my bag on a chair next to the door. I moved into the room towards the bed and brought my arms up around me and hugged myself. I wanted to be comforted all of the sudden, and it seemed the closest I was going to get. I was started to feel so very alone, and since Lester had probably gone back downstairs with Ranger, now seemed like a good time to just let go. I tucked my head into my chest and squeezed my eyes shut to ward off the tears, but I couldn't hold it in any longer. I felt myself start to shake as my knees bent and I slid down to the floor, trying to choke back a sob that had risen in my throat. It was no use; that desolate feeling was back, and the damn burst.

Huge sobs were wracking my body, and I couldn't seem to get a handle on them. I didn't hear anything above my sobs, but suddenly I was being cradled against a warm chest, and soothing hands were rubbing circles on my back as I cried out all the hurt and loneliness I was feeling. All I could think of was I wished it was Ranger holding me, comforting me like he had earlier before I pulled away from him like an imbecile. At least Lester didn't hate me enough to not want to still be my friend, otherwise he would have probably left me like I had assumed he did. I couldn't help but feel grateful for his presence then.

When my sobs finally subsided to some occasional hiccups and sniffles, the familiar squeak of Rex's wheel started to break through my dismal thoughts and a feeling of relief and gratitude seemed to work its way through my body. I should have known that Ranger wouldn't forget my hamster son. Talk about a dope!

I looked up towards the squeaking noise and there was my little buddy's cage, sitting on the nightstand next to the bed. I noticed his water bottle looked freshly filled, and what looked like baby carrots and hamster nuggets filled his little ceramic dish. He'd even made sure Rex had new pine shavings and fresh veggies in his cage! I felt fresh tears start to fill my eyes at his thoughtfulness; he may not want to be friends anymore, but I'd always cherish what little we'd had.

My internal musings were interrupted when Lester cleared his throat and pulled back to arm's length, studying my face as I looked up at him. He looked a little uncomfortable, like he wasn't used to having a hysterical female bawling all over him. I felt pretty bad soaking his shirt like that; I'd have to see about washing it for him. Hopefully he didn't notice the snot mixed in with the tear stains. It was _so_ not attractive!

"Thanks, Lester. I appreciate the company. I'm okay now. Maybe you should head down to Ranger's office. I don't want to keep you". My voice sounded really scratchy from my crying jag; I needed to go wash my face, then go down and thank Ranger for making sure Rex was okay. I wasn't looking forward to facing him; he was probably still mad at me, and after the way I'd acted, I wasn't even sure if he even wanted me in the same room. I wouldn't feel right unless I did, though, so in the interest of my peace of mind and plain old good manners, I needed to make sure he knew I was thankful.

Lester nodded and stood up, reaching down to help me to my feet. I gave him a watery smile and headed for the bathroom. Thank God I'd scrubbed all the makeup off my face earlier; otherwise I'd be looking like a demented raccoon by now. I desperately needed some mascara before I went down to see Ranger, but it seems they'd either forgotten my makeup bag, or decided I didn't need it. I only hoped my hair had survived.

I washed the tear stains from my face, pressing the cold washcloth over my eyes for a couple of minutes to bring down the puffiness my crying had caused. I grimaced at my reflection as I removed the cloth away from my face. Not great, but it would have to do. I straightened my ponytail, tucked some stray tendrils of hair behind my ears and called it good.

As I walked back out into the bedroom, I noticed that Lester had closed the door to give me a little more privacy. I smiled. A true ladies man, through and through. I thought about lying down and taking a nap, but dismissed that idea. I know I was stalling, but my conscience wouldn't let me put it off any longer. Time to face Batman!

Reaching the foot of the stairs, I noticed Lester had gone into the kitchen, no doubt giving me a few minutes alone with Ranger. I wasn't sure if I was glad or nervous about that. On one hand, if Ranger was still pissed at me, I'd rather not have anyone else witness my humiliation; on the other hand, it would be nice to have a friend there as a buffer. Guess we were going with the one hand.

As I approached the doorway to Ranger's office, I could hear him talking to Ram on the phone. I didn't want to eavesdrop, but there was really no way I could avoid hearing what was being said. Not that he was blabbing state secrets (like Ranger ever blabbed anything, be serious!), but I just didn't want him to think I was listening in on a private conversation. After all, privacy was his favorite word. He didn't like when it was being invaded. I put my "Plain Stephanie" face on and stepped into the doorway.

I steeled myself to go ahead and say what I needed to as I heard him end the call. I shoved my hands into the front pockets of my jeans and decided to just get it over with.

"Ranger?" I ventured quietly. He crooked one eyebrow up in that infuriating gesture I could never imitate and silently waited for me to continue. I wasn't sure if he was still angry, but at least it looked like he was going to let me have my say. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Right?

"I wanted to thank you for bringing Rex. I appreciate your thoughtfulness in remembering him," I said softly, keeping my eyes focused around his right cheek. I didn't think he'd appreciate any hysterics right now, and since I was almost positive I'd become just that if I looked into his eyes, I kept my gaze averted.

He didn't say anything, just tilted his head in acknowledgment and continued to study my face. His scrutiny was started to become a little uncomfortable, so I lowered my eyes and started to turn away. I stopped when I heard him start to speak.

"Lester has a file he needs to show you". His voice sounded detached, and my heart plummeted. He paused, then continued, his voice almost monotone. "You can take it up to your room; you might feel more comfortable studying it in private. He'll be able to answer any questions you might have later on".

I felt my eyes sting a little. Evidently he couldn't even stand to be in the same room with me, and to be honest, I really couldn't blame him. I just nodded my head and turned away to head into the kitchen where I'd last seen Lester. I walked up to Lester and cleared my throat, swallowing down the hurt.

"Ranger said you had a file you needed to show me?" I asked, my voice sounding hoarse to my ears. "He thought I'd rather take it to my room to study it". I couldn't hide the catch in my voice as I mentioned where Ranger had told me I should go to read the file, so I kept my eyes lowered, unable to look at the pity I was positive was present on his face. I was surprised when I felt him sling an arm across my shoulders and drop a kiss in my hair.

"Might be better if you sit here at the counter Beautiful. I'm gonna throw something together for us to eat, and I can clarify any information you don't understand while I'm working". He gave my shoulders a quick squeeze, and then released me to reach behind him and pick up a large manila folder about two inches thick and toss it onto the breakfast bar next to me. He went over to the refrigerator and grabbed a Coke off of the shelf, then proceeded to pour it into a glass of ice sitting on the counter. He placed it next to the file, then held out a stool for me to sit.

I slid onto the stool and looked down at the file, getting a squishy feeling in my stomach as I read the word on the tab of the folder. It said 'Confidential'. I opened the cover and suddenly saw spots dancing in my vision.

Inside was a picture of Joe Morelli.

A/N: Yes, the next chapter is about the damn file. Will you all quit nagging me already? LMAO!


	7. Chapter 07 Ranger's POV

Disclaimer, schmaimer! (is that even a word?) Okay, I own none of these characters. They all belong to Janet Evanovich, & I'm not making any money off of this. Good enough? I'd like to thank the 17 people who are actually reading and reviewing this story. Without your encouragement I'd probably just bag it. Again I really need to thank BB for wading through my mess and making it much easier to read. I bow to you, Obi Wan!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 7

Ranger's POV

WHEN STEPH TURNED AWAY after I told her about the file from Lester, I thought I caught of glint of tears in her eyes. It was a fleeting glimpse, but I was positive she was just about to cry. Her shoulders seemed to slump a little as she made her way out the door of the office and into the kitchen where Lester was fixing us some dinner. She'd looked so damned blank when she'd showed up in the doorway I didn't know what to make of her, except her eyes showed a hint of sadness I'm positive I was responsible for.

I watched from the doorway as she walked up to Lester and asked him about the file, a slight catch in her voice when she mentioned I had told her she might want to take it up to her room. Lester shot a quick frown my way before slinging an arm around her shoulders and dropping a sisterly kiss on her head. I'm pretty sure my face showed the realization that I'd fucked up again, since it was getting harder and harder to conceal my feelings when it came to my Babe. I squeezed my eyes shut and dropped my head back, my hands clenched at my sides, a small sigh of disappointment escaping my lips. It was gonna be a long night already, and I'd just guaranteed mine was going to be miserable.

I heard the sound of the file slapping onto the small bar in the kitchen and then Lester opening the refrigerator. I'd made sure we had plenty of comfort food and drinks stocked in there for Steph, since she was going to need every bit of it she could get. I was positive she wouldn't be seeking any more solace from me now or in the near future since I'd so deftly placed my foot in my mouth again.

The hiss of the soda can as Lester popped open the top brought me out of my somber musings and I looked over to see him pouring the soda in a glass of ice for her and setting it on the bar next to the manila file he'd tossed there. He seated her, then stepped back, watching closely as she opened the file. I joined him in his observation of her, and knew the exact moment when she realized just what she was reading. I almost walked over and took her in my arms, but the thought that she wouldn't welcome my company held me back. Instead, I just watched as she pulled herself together and began reading the information in front of her.

I was proud of the way she pushed her feelings aside and set herself to studying the documents and photos that spelled out Morelli's criminal activities over the past two weeks; starting with the hang-ups on her answering machine that were compiled from wiretaps she was unaware I'd had placed on her phones when she'd mentioned the hang-ups two weeks ago. She frowned at first, and I know she wasn't happy that I'd gone behind her back, taping her life without her knowledge. I'd be paying for that later, I was sure.

The frown on her face faded as she read on, slowly replaced by irritation, puzzlement, hurt and finally horror. At each stage, I could almost place the particular section of the file she was reading without even looking at the pages themselves, since I'd had much the same reaction myself. I couldn't for the life of me understand why a man who supposedly loved such a unique woman as my Babe would contemplate, orchestrate and actually commit some of the acts that were documented in those pages.

Of the original 9 people that we'd interviewed and authenticated, one had been savagely abused and murdered after he had given his sworn testimony, one was murdered before he could meet with the DA and give his deposition, and two were in the process of having their statements taken and notarized. There were five sworn affidavits of living witnesses in the file, and one we could no longer use since he was not available for cross-examination. Read dead. Three of those live witnesses had actually committed some of the crimes that were alluded to, and had been granted full immunity from prosecution in exchange for their cooperation and testimonies. Since the only outcome in those instances had been property damage (let's not forget the psychological damage done to my Babe) and had not culminated in bodily harm, it seemed a fair trade. The remaining four had simply been witnesses to the acts themselves or had intimate knowledge of the crime through evidence they either came into possession of, or acquired from a third party.

In one instance, this evidence consisted of a tape recording made by one of the witnesses, Lindy Udink, when her lover, Benny Carlucci, a former FTA of Steph's who was one of the co-conspirators, was planning their move with Morelli on my Babe. Morelli's voice was clearly heard on the tape, and it was apparent he had no idea he was being recorded. The tape was now safely locked up at Rangeman, and was actually one of the strongest pieces of evidence we had on him that we had a live witness to authenticate the evidence. The trick was getting it admitted into the court records, since there hadn't been a warrant, and it had been obtained illegally. I had my lawyers working on it. Until then, we were continuing to collect as much evidence and witnesses as we could find in the hopes that we could bring Morelli to trial and put him away, preferably for life.

Lindy had been leery of Morelli, and she wanted some type of insurance in case anything happened to Benny. Turns out her fears were well grounded, and now she was hoping for some justice for Benny. She was also scared to death that she was next, since it was no secret on the streets that she and Benny were together. Morelli had too many snitches on the street, and it would be too much to hope for that he wouldn't find out their connection. Because of this, she had gladly accepted our protection, and had even helped to convince her friend Eula Rothridge to testify as to the events she herself had witnessed, and to accept our protection as well. Hence the reason we had them staying together in the safe house in Philly. They felt safer in each other's company, and would keep each other on track.

Of course, it helped that Eula knew Stephanie from being FTA so often. She liked Steph, and had always appreciated how she had showed Eula respect when taking her to be rebonded; even going so far as to bring her food and secure her possessions in the trunk of Big Blue (or her current POS at the time) and then taking her back to her bench at the bus station after Connie finished with the bonding paperwork, dignity intact.

Our dead witness, Matthew Ehrlichman, was also a former FTA of Steph's, and had testified in his deposition that he had been hired by Morelli to stalk and pretend to attack my Babe with the intention of making her think he was going to rape her. His lengthy rap sheet was riddled with assault violations, but never ended up in a trial, since the victims were too frightened to testify. He hadn't counted on Steph's resourcefulness in extricating herself from his attack, however, and had been apprehended before he could do anything more than give her a few bruises and scare the hell out of her. He had been arrested, and was working on a plea bargain with the DA where he would be allowed to plead to a lesser charge in exchange for his testimony. My blood had boiled at the news about the plea bargain, but it wasn't my call to make those decisions. Steph wasn't made aware of his claims; only that he was pleading guilty and she wouldn't have to testify in court. Morelli had shown outrage at the attack on Steph, but had given in too easily when she had adamantly refused protection, which made alarm bells go off in my head. That's when I started digging into Morelli's activities, and was the beginning of this whole mess.

Jake Serna, another FTA of hers and the witness who was currently enjoying the TPD's hospitality in the segregated unit, was actually a co-conspirator who had broken in to Steph's apartment and ransacked the place, leaving threatening graffiti on the walls of her bedroom and slicing up her clothes. We'd found his fingerprints on the inside of one of the drawers in her dresser, but hadn't given the police the information, opting to have him give evidence against Morelli in exchange for dropping the charges. When I say he had broken in, that was really a joke. The irony was you didn't _have_ to 'break in' to my Babe's apartment. A child could pick the lock on the doors of that cracker box she called home. The only person who couldn't break in was Steph.

Elvis Diana, our witness who was 'in the wind', had admitted to tampering with Steph's brakes at the instigation of Morelli. He'd even gone so far as to tell us that Morelli had dictated the note he was to leave in her car warning her to 'get out of the bounty hunting business _or else_'. Fortunately, she had found the note before she had come to any real danger, and was able to call Al to have the car fixed before anything happened. It was Diana's prints on one of the brake lines that had led us to him, and we had quietly worked out a deal with him instead of turning him over to the cops. Not being able to locate him was a huge concern to us, since his testimony could lead to an indictment for attempted murder. Our hope was that we could find him before Morelli did, and get him to a secure location out of Trenton until we could get the indictment and go to trial. It wasn't looking very likely at the moment, given he had disappeared without a trace.

One of our witnesses that hadn't actually conspired with Morelli (had in fact turned him down when approached) who was currently camped out in an apartment on Stark Street with his girlfriend, was a real piece of work. Ralph Alvillar had numerous domestic abuse arrests on his record, and was in jail more often then not, only to be bailed out by his girlfriend and the charges dropped. It seems he didn't want her to go through with prosecuting him if she got wind he was even _thinking_ of looking at another woman, although his interest in Steph wouldn't be defined as 'looking'. He had told us he didn't trust Morelli, a prevailing theme in all of the people we had interviewed and were currently trying to protect. He was also a former FTA of Steph's who didn't hold a grudge against her. He liked her spunk.

Our last witness, Nick Karlson, had been in the holding cell at the TPD on a possessions charge and had actually overheard a conversation between Morelli and another co-conspirator (and witness) Guy Roberts. Apparently they had both thought Karlson was too stoned to pay attention, and had laid out a plan to blow up Steph's car right in front of him while he and Roberts were awaiting bail from Vinnie. This was the incident that had led up to placing her in the safe house. We just weren't able to bring that about until _after_ Roberts had blown up her car. Our concern was that Morelli would get to these two before we could ensure their safety. Neither of them were very bright; they were, after all, more or less groupies who hung out with Walter 'Mooner' Dunphy and Dougie 'The Dealer' Kruper. Mooner and Dougie were frequent FTAs of Steph's, and Mooner had a soft spot for my Babe. It was he who convinced Karlson to seek me out to warn me of the plot, and had helped us to secure Roberts' cooperation and testimony. My thought was that they might be trying to finish a little business first, since it was possible Roberts _could_ do time for the assault anyway, and Karlson could also be charged as an accomplice before the fact, since he knew of the plot. They evidently hadn't listened very well when their lawyer, working with mine, had worked up an agreement in writing that, since Karlson had come to me with the details beforehand, he wouldn't be prosecuted, even though the attack _had_ been carried out before we could stop it. No such agreement had been made for Roberts, though, and I wasn't too keen on the idea of the possibility. After all, I had seen the results of the Molotov cocktail first hand. The picture of her huddled in fear, clothes singed and grimy, next to her building as I drove up was etched on my memory, making me even more determined to force her into the safe house. It was a decision I hadn't reached lightly, nor without weighing the consequences such an action would have on my relationship with her.

My mental review of the file was brought to a halt by an agonized sob from Steph. I'd zoned out, more or less, and hadn't seen the tears that were flowing down her face, soaking into her T-shirt and causing her face to become red and splotchy, a look she absolutely hated. Lester had stepped up behind her and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, although I don't think she even noticed, her distress was so great. It was understandable; the picture of Morelli the file portrayed was not the man she had grown up with, the man she knew and loved, but rather a cold, calculating monster that would do _anything_ to exert his control over her.

My stomach clenched as Lester pulled her up and into his arms, wrapping them around her and murmuring comforting words in her ear that I couldn't make out. Finally I couldn't take it anymore and strode over to them, indicating to Lester as he looked at me to let me hold her. He reluctantly released her, and my arms immediately replaced his around her shaking frame, firmly anchoring her to my body and encouraging her to accept the comfort I was offering. I began whispering everything I wanted her to know about how much I loved and cherished her in Spanish, as the language had always seemed to help calm her the most in the past. She burrowed her face into my chest as tightly as she could, and clenched my shirt with her hands, knuckles white with the effort.

We stood there in the kitchen for what seemed hours, her sobs tearing at my guts like a knife twisting and ripping, gouging what felt like a trench through my insides to my chest and into my heart, leaving the organ open, bleeding, and defenseless to her painful cries. As her sobs finally started to subside and the shaking stilled, I lifted my hand and smoothed it over the top of her hair, tucking in a wayward curl behind her ear that had escaped her ponytail and then settling it on her back where I began to gently rub small circles in across her shoulders and upper back. She seemed unusually still, so I leaned back just enough to see her face where it wasn't pressed into my chest. Her eyes were closed and her breathing had calmed considerably, and it finally became apparent she had fallen into an exhausted sleep standing here in my arms.

I turned her slightly, then bent and slid an arm under her knees, picking her up and cradling her against me. She was so exhausted she didn't even stir, which I was extremely grateful for. She'd had a major shock, and sleep would only help to recoup her strength and emotions to a degree she could deal with the trauma when she finally woke up and remembered everything she had absorbed.

I backed out of the kitchen and looked into the living room to see where Lester had gone, but he wasn't there. I turned and began climbing the stairs, intending to take my Babe up to her room and tuck her into bed where I anticipated she would sleep for the rest of the night. When I entered her room I found Lester sitting on the side of the bed, talking to her hamster Rex and reassuring him that 'Mommy' would be all right in no time. I quirked an eyebrow at him as he looked up, and a grin spread across his face as he took in the possessive way I was cradling Steph to my body. He stood up off the bed, indicating he would turn the bed down for me while I changed her into one of my T-shirts he had evidently laid out for her. I threw him a scowl, which he promptly returned with a cheesy grin as he whipped around and pulled back the covers on the bed. He chuckled as I gave him nasty look, and then proceeded to make his way out of the bedroom to allow some privacy as I undressed her.

I carefully laid her down on the bed, gently removing her shoes & socks and unzipping her jeans. I dragged them carefully down her long legs, hoping I didn't wake her and desperately trying not to notice how the skimpy black lace panties she was wearing left absolutely _nothing_ to the imagination. I felt my cock start to twitch and swell as I pulled off the T-shirt she was wearing and saw the nearly-not-there lacy bra that matched her panties. It was almost sheer, and her nipples and darker areole were clearly visible beneath the thin fabric. I groaned, dropping the T-shirt I was changing her into over her head, quickly undoing her bra and pulling it out from under the shirt. No way could I manage to take off that bra and see those pale globes with her darker nipples proudly standing up and bared without wanting to take them in my mouth and suckle them.

I couldn't believe I was lusting for her after the day we'd had today! It was wrong, I told myself. She'd made it clear she didn't feel the same way, no matter how convinced I was that she loved me, and taking advantage of her when she was so vulnerable from the information she'd read in the file was simply abhorrent to me. Try telling my body that, I snorted derisively to myself. I'd denied myself so long, what was another day, a week, a year?

I pulled the covers up over her body and went to pull away when I heard a soft whimper come from her sleeping form. Her brow was creased in a frown, and I noticed her lips were slightly parted, small panting breaths becoming stronger as a nightmare seemed invade her once restful sleep. I stifled another groan, and shrugged my shoulders. I needed rest too, having been up for nearly forty-eight hours straight. I quickly shed my weapons and clothes down to my boxers and slid in beside her under the covers, gently pulling her into my arms and cradling her next to me. She seemed to take comfort in my nearness, and snuggled in tightly next to me, relaxed and peaceful. I relaxed as well, and felt sleep start to overtake my exhausted body as one last thought went through my head.

She was safe, and I was content.

There! Are you happy now! *grin*


	8. Chapter 08 Steph's POV

Disclaimer: See page 1 – I'm done!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off **– pt 8

Steph's POV

WHEN THE DARK SPOTS cleared enough for me to focus past the photo of Joe looking up at me from the photo in the file, I felt a lump settle in my stomach that made me feel slightly nauseous. I knew I wasn't going to like what I was going to read, but then when was the last time I'd had any good news regarding him recently? I swallowed a lump in my throat and blinked to dispel the last of the fuzziness in my vision. I could do this. I straightened my shoulders, blew out a breath, and began to read.

The file seemed to be put together in chronological order, starting with events that began a little over two weeks ago. I'd mentioned to Ranger that I was getting a lot of hang-ups on my phones, and I had been puzzled about it since I hadn't had any stalkers lately. The mention of Ranger putting a wiretap on my home phone and some type of tracing device in my cell pissed me off, and I frowned. We'd be having a discussion about his invasion of my privacy without talking to me about it later when I'd had a chance to assimilate the reasons behind his actions, mark my words!

I read about Matthew Ehrlichman, a former FTA of mine who'd attacked and tried to rape me in my apartment. I'd managed to extricate myself from him long enough to grab a half-eaten Tastykake (a Butterscotch Krimpet, my favorite!) off the coffee table and smush it in his face, momentarily blinding him while I grabbed for my stun gun that was in my purse on the dining room table. He'd grabbed for my leg just as my hand closed around the strap of my purse, so I'd swung the whole thing at his head, barely missing his eye with one of the buckles. This stunned him long enough for me to reach into my purse and grab the pepper spray I'd just had replaced at Sunny's earlier in the day. He'd yowled loudly when I managed to give him a direct hit, and then I gave him a full dose of my stun gun. I was mad I'd had to waste my _last_ Butterscotch Krimpet on his face since I had to make a choice between stocking up on Tastykakes and replacing my pepper spray and another set of handcuffs. Who says I can't make wise decisions!

After I'd cuffed him and called the cops, Joe had walked in and started on me right away, using Italian hand gestures to emphasize his argument as he railed on me about growing up and quitting my job so I could marry him and raise his children. Ranger had been standing quietly in the background, muscled arms folded across that gorgeous chest of his, blank face in place. His eyes had flashed after a particularly nasty comment from Joe about how inept I was at a job I had no business even trying to do, and then became cold and hard as Joe continued to berate me. When I'd screamed back at him about his failure to support me rather than put me down all the time, Joe had suddenly stopped ranting and pulled me into his arms, saying that he only wanted me to be safe. I'd been shocked, but then I figured I'd take what comfort I could get from him and ignore his insults he'd hurled at me during his rant.

When I got to the part about the plea bargain Ehrlichman had made, irritation had set in, since I'd really wanted to testify against him and put him away for good. He was a habitual offender who seemed to always get off due to the fact that all of his victims would recant or refuse to press charges. It puzzled me that the DA would make such a deal with a slime like that; he was, after all, responsible for numerous acts of violence against women.

Next came Benny Carlucci, another FTA from shortly after I'd started chasing skips, who apparently had conspired with Joe (Joe?) to stalk me and try to scare me enough to move out of my apartment where everyone and his brother seemed to be able to walk right in. At the mention of Joe I felt a pain shoot in my chest that made me catch my breath, hurt washing over me in waves. How could he do this to me?

The reference to a tape that had been made of the conversation by Benny's girlfriend, Lindy, caused my eyes to widen and tear up before I managed to get a hold of myself and read on. I wanted to hear that tape! It couldn't have been Joe! It had to be a mistake!

The file went on, mentioning several former skips of mine. Ralph Alvillar, who apparently refused to even consider what Joe (Joe again?) was proposing to him. He'd told him to take a hike and that I wasn't worth the trouble he would get into if he was caught. Elvis Diana, who'd tampered with my brakes on the POS I'd had at the time. Eula Rothridge, who stated she had seen Joe meeting with Diana furtively at the bus station when she was collecting cans, hoping to turn them in for enough to eat on for a couple of days. Jake Serna, who'd broken into my apartment and sliced up my clothes (I had to replace just about every distraction outfit I owned, too!), leaving spray-painted messages on my bedroom wall and my apartment trashed. Poor Rex had been traumatized for days afterward!

Last was Nick Karlson and Guy Roberts, two of Mooner and Dougie's friends who were usually too loaded to remember their court dates. They had a lot in common with Mooner, which was why they were always FTA . My eyes widened in horror as it recounted the proposition Joe had put to Roberts when they were waiting for Vinnie to bail him and Karlson out just two days ago. Karlson had been pretending to be passed out and had heard all the details, including where Joe had wanted him to have it occur and how. Tears pooled in my eyes and began flowing unchecked down my face, making it impossible for me to continue reading.

I was unaware of the hand that was lightly gripping my shoulder, gently squeezing it in comfort. The only feeling I could barely identify I was experiencing at the time was devastation; he was supposed to love me! This was the man who I'd idolized from the time I was six years old, who'd taught me Choo-Choo in his garage, had taken my virginity when I was sixteen and naïve, then proceeded to write about it on the bathroom walls at Mario's Sub Shop and the football stadium at the high school, which had caused me to be grounded the entire summer before my senior year. He'd left for the Navy then, but two years later I'd gotten my revenge. I'd seen him walking down the sidewalk, and I saw red. I was driving my father's Buick, so I gunned the accelerator and slammed into Joe, breaking his leg and mending my self-esteem in the process.

Sobs were tearing through my body so fiercely I couldn't seem to catch my breath, and suddenly strong arms had pulled me up from my seat and enclosed me in a warm embrace. Soft words of comfort were being whispered in my ear, but I couldn't seem to register their content. All I could seem to feel was intense pain, betrayal and loss, piercing my heart like a knife slicing it to pieces. This man said he wanted to marry me and protect me! How could he!

I don't know how long I stood there sobbing, feeling lost and lonely, when I felt the soothing presence of Ranger's arms around me and the low murmur of Spanish words being whispered in my ear. I burrowed my face into his chest and clenched his T-shirt, hanging onto him like a lifeline and terrified he'd let me go. I couldn't seem to stop crying, so I just leaned into his embrace and drank in the solace I felt as he swept loving hands over my back and shoulders. Time seemed to float away as my sobs lessened, exhaustion and sleep beginning to claim my body and drag me to oblivion.

When I awoke, awareness set in as I realized I was in my bed in my room at the safe house and cuddled up to a warm, hard body. I was wrapped in the distinctive smell of Bulgari and Ranger, strong arms holding me snugly against a muscled naked mocha latte chest that rose and fell with Ranger's deep, even breathing. I could feel his heart beating slowly and rhythmically under my ear, reassuring me that I was safe and protected, and oddly, loved. I reveled in the feeling until nature decided to ruin my sense of well-being and demand I give full attention to emptying my bladder before I exploded.

I reluctantly tried to extricate myself from the heavenly feeling of Ranger cuddling me close to him, when I felt his arms tightening around me, refusing to release me. I tilted my head up to look into his face and observed as he became instantly awake, his eyes soft and shining with an expression I was afraid to identify. I squirmed a little, becoming increasingly more uncomfortable as my body screamed for relief, causing a sharp pain to shoot across my stomach. As much as I didn't want to leave the haven of Ranger's embrace, I knew I needed to get up and use the bathroom. I blew out a breath, and turned my face to him again, letting him see how urgent the situation was becoming. Finally he seemed to realize that he needed to release me, and he unwrapped his arms from my waist and shoulders to allow me up. I scrambled out of the bed and rushed to the bathroom, making it just in time to avoid a nasty mess. I finished my business and washed my hands, glancing up into the mirror absently as I finished drying my hands.

Yikes! I did a classic double-take, groaning as I took in the clumps of hair that were sticking out every which way from my head on one side, whereas the other side was flat as a proverbial pancake, or in other words; typical bed-head. I wrangled the scrunchy out of my tangled hair and began to try to work the worst of the tangles out with a brush, knowing full well the only way it was going to behave was if I washed and conditioned it with the uber expensive detangling formula that Mr. Alexander had talked me into buying. I finally gave up with a sigh, deciding it was just going to have to wait until I felt like taking a shower. I really wanted to crawl back into bed with Ranger, but figured he'd probably gotten up and left. I sighed again and turned out the light, leaving the bathroom and making my way back to bed, exhaustion from earlier leaving me feeling tired and achy.

Much to my surprise, Ranger was still laying there in the bed, the covers having slid down to his waist leaving that beautiful expanse of chest bare for me to ogle. Ranger chuckled at my expression, then pulled back the covers and motioned me into the bed, tucking the covers around me as I complied and snuggling me in next to his hard body. I felt him smooth my hair back and drop a kiss onto the top of my head, his arms drawing me even closer to his side as I sighed in satisfaction.

I laid there silently, willing myself to fall back to sleep so I wouldn't lose the first sense of security I'd finally felt since this whole nightmare began. I could feel Ranger's slow steady heartbeat under my cheek, reassuring and strong as the man who held me firmly molded me against him.

I felt at peace. I still had my friend.

Tbc


	9. Chapter 09 Lester's POV

Disclaimer: See page 1

And, as always, my undying thanks to Kym for inspiration, the fabulous BB for our sounding board chats & her super beta skills, and the ladies of BurumaBabes for having my back.

**Lo****cked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 9

Lester's POV

AFTER LEAVING STEPH TO wash up, I headed downstairs to the kitchen, thinking we could all use something to eat. I know Bomber probably could. That girl eats more than I've seen most _recruits_ eat! What I can't understand is where she puts it all. She's not fat by any means. As a matter of fact, all of us think she's a little on the thin side. Nice curves and such…best not go there. I mean, she's like my _sister!_

I'd thought about talking to Ric about what had just happened, but I _sure_ as hell didn't want to get in the middle of their shit! See, Ric hates to have anyone question him on his actions, and most of the time, he's right, so you just end up looking like an idiot for even _thinking_ of second-guessing him. When it comes to Steph, though, that guy doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground! I mean, I've seen how he acts around her. He puts on this blank mask to hide his feelings (he has 'em, he just refuses to let anyone see 'em), then acts like nothing fazes him, especially when things go south. Like every time she goes back to the cop; he closes off so no one knows how much it kills him to see her with the guy. Only Tank, Bobby and I can see it, and that's 'cause we've been together a long, long time.

A little background here. Ric's my cousin, and we've been getting into trouble together since we were in kindergarten; in fact our parents sent us both off to Miami to our Abuela Maria when we kept getting busted. We met Tank when we were teenagers in Miami running around with the gangs, and then Bobby came along when we joined the Army. We all made the Rangers together, and it's been the four of us since then. We'd gotten into some pretty heavy shit in the Rangers, and even afterwards, when we'd left the Army. We've always watched each other's backs when the shit hit the fan. _Always!_

As much as we'd all like to see Ric & Bombshell get together, I don't think any of us want to get roped into playing cupid for them any more than we already have. Oh sure, we've 'helped' them a time or two, like managing to be otherwise occupied when she's called for help, and of course Ric _couldn't _allow her to not have backup when needed, so he'd have to go himself. After all, he'd given her his word that she'd never be refused someone to come to her aid when she'd made it known that she needed some muscle. Not that he's ever really objected to being the 'knight in shining armor' (I rolled my eyes at that thought), because we all know damn well he's made up excuses to take off and see her if her requests for assistance tapered off. I don't even think he's aware that we know about his late night visits to her apartment, since he always takes the precaution of turning off his GPS locator prior to heading anywhere in the vicinity of her apartment complex, thinking we don't know where he's going. I think he forgets we know him too well.

I headed into the office, intending to feel Ric out about how he wanted to have Steph see the file. I know he'd been working on the information it contained the past two days nonstop, and from the looks of it, we finally had enough evidence to secure an indictment, and ultimately a conviction. That is, if we could keep the rest of our witnesses alive. Ehrlichman would have been sweet to have on the stand, backed by Carlucci, whom Tank had just text messaged me was found dead. Fucking Morelli!

Looks like Ram had a lot to say, 'cause Ric was still on the phone with him when I entered the office. He waved me off after handing me the file and settled in to the chair behind his desk, changing the phone to his other ear as he grabbed a pen to make a note on the pad of paper that was sitting next to the phone. I shrugged, then turned and left the office, debating on whether I should just hang on to the file until after we ate, or take it up to Steph, since the original plan had been for her to read it and see if anything felt off, as well as to keep her informed as to what we had learned.

Man, I sure as hell wasn't looking forward to Bomber reading the reason for her 'incarceration' here, nor the person responsible for the hell she's been through the past couple of weeks. We've all heard the stories circulating throughout the 'Burg about the so-called 'highlights' of her life, including Morelli's little seduction scene at the Tasty Pastry when she was sixteen, and her shitty marriage followed by her spectacular divorce. We loved that part, since it seems she'd piled all of her ex's clothes in the middle of the lawn at their upscale home and set fire to them, and then proceeded to toast marshmallows over the flames until the fire department arrived. Too bad that hadn't been caught on tape! I hated the thought that she was gonna catch hell from her mother again, and get blamed for the whole chain of events, just like always. She'd end up being fodder for the gossips, too. Bummer.

I tossed the file onto the counter in the kitchen and opened the refrigerator door to inspect the contents to see what I could scare up for a meal. I had to chuckle as I noticed all the junk food crammed onto the shelves, not to mention the twelve-pack of Coke that occupied the first two sections of the door. Man, I was gonna love to watch Ric's face as Steph dug into all that sugar and fat! He really went all out to make sure she had plenty of comfort food. Looks like he had Aunt Ella make us up some heat & serve meals too, which made me heave a sigh of relief, as well as my mouth water. Only Ric's mom could compare with Aunt Ella's cooking!

I straightened up and closed the refrigerator as I heard Steph come down the stairs, her face scrubbed clean of tear stains and her wild hair pulled back again in a pony tail that was just this side of scary. Looked like she'd tried to get the swelling down around her eyes too, since they weren't quite as puffy as they'd been when I'd left her upstairs earlier. She went towards the doorway of Ric's office hesitantly, as he was still on the phone. She was holding herself a little stiffly, and I could tell she was uncomfortable listening to Ric's conversation, although short of leaving the room and heading back upstairs, there was little she could do to avoid it. She stuffed her hands in her pockets, then seemed to pull some hidden resolve from deep down and stepped into the doorway just as Ric snapped his phone shut.

"Ranger?" I heard her say quietly, almost hesitantly. I could see Ric's face over her shoulder, and he had his blank face on, his only expression being a raised eyebrow. I smirked at that. Bomber _hated_ when he did that, especially since her attempts to try to duplicate the expression ended up making her look constipated. I liked to do it just to piss her off!

"I wanted to thank you for bringing Rex. I appreciate your thoughtfulness in remembering him," I heard her say softly. I couldn't see her face, but it was obvious to me it was taking a lot of effort on her part to keep herself together. Ric continued to study her face, his emotionless and his eyes unreadable to me from this distance, his only acknowledgement of her statement a slight tilt of his head. I think she may have figured that Ric might not want to see her right then, since I noticed her shoulders slump just the slightest. Her head lowered and she started to turn, stopping when Ric spoke.

"Lester has a file he needs to show you". He sounded a little detached to me, and I imagined he was holding himself pretty tight about then. Typical Ric, closing off just when they could've repaired some of the earlier damage. He continued to speak, his voice even, without a trace of emotion. "You can take it up to your room; you might feel more comfortable studying it in private. He'll be able to answer any questions you might have later on".

Steph nodded and turned towards me, her eyes suspiciously bright as she made her way into the kitchen and stopped in front of me. Her head was lowered, but I could still see her effort to swallow and regain her composure. She cleared her throat and raised her head, keeping her gaze leveled at my chin.

"Ranger said you had a file you needed to show me?" She asked, her voice a little hoarse and shaky. "He thought I'd rather take it to my room to study it". Her voice caught slightly as she said that last bit. Right then I could've cheerfully kicked Ric's ass. Since now wasn't exactly the right time to lay into him, I just shot him a frown that told him in no uncertain terms _you fucked up again, dumbass_! and threw an arm around her shoulders, dropping a brotherly kiss on top of her head just above her forehead. I really needed to smack him, _after_ Bomber read the file and was safely tucked away back in her room.

"Might be better if you sit here at the counter Beautiful. I'm gonna throw something together for us to eat, and I can clarify any information you don't understand while I'm working". I gave her shoulders a quick squeeze, and then released her to reach behind me to the counter and pick up the large manila folder and toss it onto the breakfast bar next to her. I went over to the refrigerator and grabbed a Coke off of the shelf, then proceeded to pour it into a glass of ice I had sitting ready on the counter. I placed it next to the file and held out a stool for her to sit. I figured she better get comfortable, since there was a lot of material there for her to take in. I stood back where I could observe her face and stay close but not crowd her. I knew her well enough to know that she would probably freak, since Steph has never been too keen to see anything bad in her friends, especially one she's known her whole life. She also trusted Ric implicitly though, which meant she was going to get really confused the more she read. Hell, _I_ was confused!

I noticed Ric had moved to the doorway of the kitchen where he could also observe Steph, his stance tense and ready. I could tell it was killing him to have to show her all the ugliness that file contained. He'd worked tirelessly verifying and re-verifying every word contained there, even going so far as to work the rest of us around the clock and paying double time to all the guys to make sure it was accurate. He really hadn't needed to bother though, since every one of us would have gladly done it for free. Steph was family. Enough said.

We both watched as Steph froze when she opened the file, then squared her shoulders and dug into the file, reading every piece of paper and viewing each photo carefully. I chanced a quick glance at Ric and noticed the look of pride he couldn't hide cross his face at her determination. Hell, I was proud too! Bomber has shown more courage and resourcefulness in the past than a lot of guys I served with in the military. That's why we were so bent on making sure we put an end to all the crap she'd been through lately. She didn't deserve this shit!

A wide range of emotions crossed her face as she continued to read, clueing us in to just about where in the information she was at. I noticed about halfway through the file when tears started to spill out of her eyes and run down her cheeks, soaking into her T-shirt. I walked over and laid a hand on her shoulder, giving it a slight squeeze to let her know I was there for her. The amount of material we'd collected was pretty impressive, typical of our investigations, so it was quite a while before she reached the part of the file where her car had been blown up and Ric had cuffed her and bundled her into my SUV, leading us here.

I looked up at Ric, almost startled to see a look of pure rage on his face as he mentally followed along with her through the material. He knew even better than all of us exactly what this was doing to her, and yet it still surprised me to see him lose his composure like that. Guess the cat was out of the bag now. No way was he gonna be able to go back to 'Mr. Stoic' and keep his distance from her. He was in too deep.

I was caught up short in my observation of Ric's expression when an agonized sob from Steph shattered the silence. I pulled her up from the stool into my arms as she cried, her slight frame shaking with emotions I wasn't too familiar with. I started whispering "It's gonna be okay, Bomber. We're here for you" over and over, trying to sooth her and not really sure I was helping. Suddenly Ric was there, motioning me to let him hold her. I was reluctant; after all, he'd gone all cold on her before, and I wasn't about to let him pull any more of that shit tonight. She'd been put through enough today.

The look on his face changed my mind, though, almost mirroring the pain Steph was showing. He wouldn't hurt her anymore tonight, hadn't meant to in the first place, that I was sure of. I relented, transferring her sobbing body into Ric's arms that he gently wrapped around her, holding her firmly to his own. He began whispering quietly in Spanish words of love and comfort that caused my eyes to bug out. Well shit! He's been holding out here!

I figured Ric had everything under control, so I slipped out and went upstairs, going into Bomber's room. I _had_ to call Tank and Bobby; they weren't gonna believe this! I opened my cell phone and hit speed dial two, almost dropping my phone when Tank barked out "What!". An evil grin split my face as I launched into the phrases I'd heard Ric whispering into Steph's ear. Guess he was pretty tired, 'cause he started cussing up a blue streak and then hung up. I laughed, then hit speed dial three. Wonder if Bobby would get a kick out of this?

When Bobby picked up, he sounded sleepy, but at least he didn't cuss me out when I repeated what Ric had said. Instead, he seemed to perk up, amazement in his voice as he asked me to repeat myself. I laughed, almost giddy at the prospect of blackmail info I now had on Ric. I sobered a little, realizing I hadn't thought to record it with my cell phone, and then felt almost ashamed of myself at the thought. As much as I loved a good joke or being able to give Ric shit, I wouldn't want to have anyone else witness Bomber's pain as she absorbed and then reacted to that file. Besides, Tank would've killed me for sure, right after Ric hung me by my balls and sicced Steph's crazy Grandma on me! I grinned and hung up after telling Bobby to call me back after Tank woke up. It'd be interesting to find out how much he remembered when he was actually coherent!

I pocketed my cell phone, thinking maybe Steph was gonna be exhausted by the time she finished _this_ bout of crying. It just didn't seem right that she had to go through so much shit in one day. I mean, first she damn near gets blown up, then Ric slaps her in handcuffs and locks her in my SUV and orders her taken to the safe house. That in itself was enough to ruin her day! Then, she has that 'talk' with Ric, which she _totally _misunderstands (can't really blame her there since he's a master at confusing her), then she panics thinking her one responsibility has been forgotten and tries to rectify the situation only to end up pissing Ric off, something she's never been too fond of doing. Then she gets to read that lovely file and finds out the man her mom wants her to marry has been victimizing her while all along he's fucking another woman behind her back! Not cool. Not cool at all!

I went over to the dresser and reached into the top drawer, pulling out one of Ric's T-shirts and laying it on the foot of the bed. Chances are really good she'll be wanting to crash soon, and seeing as I felt a little guilty about my role in helping to lock her up, I wanted to make sure she didn't have to do much except change and fall into bed. Actually I was kinda hoping Ric would join her. She'd probably have some nasty nightmares triggered by that file, and I'd rather _he_ was there for her, since he'd probably skin me alive just thinking about being in her room in the middle of the night if she happened to wake up. Little does he know I act like the lech when he's around just to goad him into finally making a move on her, since it's so fucking obvious they're made for each other!

The squeak of the hamster's wheel broke into my thoughts and I went over to the nightstand where Ric had placed his cage. I grinned at him as he stopped running on the wheel and looked up at me with his beady black eyes staring at me.

He reminded me of Steph when she wanted us to explain something to her and wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"Hey there, little buddy! Kind of a crazy day, huh? You just sit tight and everything will work itself out soon, with a little help from Uncle Lester and company. Mommy will be all right in no time". I finished, almost groaning as I heard Ric walk into the room. Shit! This was gonna cancel out all my blackmail lines I was gonna rag Ric with!

I looked up at Ric, grinning at how possessively he was holding Steph, all cradled in his arms like she was the most precious thing on earth, which, come to think of it, she was. I indicated the T-shirt I'd laid out, motioning for him to go ahead and get her undressed while I turned down the bed. He scowled, which I returned with a grin. I knew he wanted me to vacate while he changed her. Yeah, like I was gonna stand there and ogle while he got my 'sister' naked and put her to bed, c'mon! I just liked to piss him off, and from the looks of it, I was doing a pretty damn good job, too! Heh heh heh! I ceremoniously pulled back the covers on the bed to make it easier for him to get her settled, then chuckled when he shot me a nasty look and made my way out of the room. Score another point for me!

I continued to laugh quietly as I headed down the stairs and back into the kitchen. I was still hungry, and even if they weren't in the mood for food, it wasn't gonna stop me from chowing down. It'd been hours since my last decent meal, and I'm a growing boy! At least, that's what Abuela Maria would say. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

I sobered as I caught sight of the file out of the corner of my eye. Man, the shit that had gone down the past couple of weeks! Things were more FUBAR'd than half the missions we'd gone on back when we did all those government jobs.

This was gonna cause repercussions in Trenton for years, I'm sure. All because of one little white girl who just wanted to fly. I wondered what Morelli was gonna do when the indictment came down and he learned that Steph knew everything.

It was a chilling thought.

tbc

A/N: Well, what do you think's gonna happen next? Care to hazard a guess?


	10. Chapter 10 Ranger's POV

Disclaimer: Not mine, not making any money, and I'll be damned if I'll return Ranger. Nope, not gonna happen!

Spoilers for a few books here; say books 1 thru 12. I don't count the last two.

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 10

Ranger's POV

I WOKE UP SUDDENLY, immediately aware that something was wrong. I listened, realizing the problem was there in bed with me, trying to bury herself in my side. My Babe was whimpering in her sleep, her body tense as tears leaked out of her eyes and soaked my skin where her face was pushed into the side of my chest. I tightened my hold on her, moving her as close as possible and bringing my hand up to tuck a loose curl behind her ear that had fallen across her face. She seemed to calm down considerably, although tears continued to leak from under her closed eyelids and run down between our bodies. I was afraid this would happen; she was reliving the events documented in that damn file in her sleep, where her usual mode of denial had no control.

I blew out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. The next step she'd have to take was going to be even harder, since it involved her testimony in front of the grand jury in order to secure an indictment. I winced. I wouldn't be able to shield her from the anger and censure of the 'burg then; she'd have to reveal some of the more intimate details of her relationship with Morelli, recounting their private lives from the time the first instance occurred. I was dreading that part, since it would certainly include their sexual relationship to establish his motive for the crimes he had orchestrated, as well as his solicitation of the coconspirators. I hated even the _allusion_ to that aspect of their relationship; just the thought was making my guts twist in knots. I clenched my jaws. The thought of his hands on her, caressing her soft skin and evoking those little sounds she makes when she's climaxing…

The night we'd made love during the Abruzzi mess had changed me, making me yearn for her in my life and in my bed even more than I'd thought possible. I'd made that deal with her solely for the purpose of satisfying my base instincts; once I'd had her, I could move on like so many before her. Instead, she'd become like air to me. I needed her to breathe and function. She brought back feelings in me I'd thought were dead. I'd tried to avoid her at first, sending her back to him and even leaving town for Miami for two months. I was counting on the distance and time away from her would get her out of my system. It didn't work. Instead it only emphasized how empty my life was, how dark and cold my future was without her. She was light and hope; a soothing balm to my soul for all the shit I'd seen and done most of my life.

I should have realized it way before then, back during the Ramos business. Her soft voice asking me "Are you okay?" on my answering machine had touched a chord in my heart I'd refused to recognize at the time. Later, when she'd hidden from the Slayers in my apartment and had been ultimately kidnapped and beaten by them, I'd almost given in and told her. Only she'd gone back to the cop after it was all over, and I'd shut myself off. Even when she'd been missing all those hours and Con Stiva had locked her in that cupboard, I'd stupidly sent her back to him. I couldn't face the thought that she'd go back to him on her own anyway, so I didn't give her a choice. It was during Julie's kidnapping just a couple of months ago that I finally admitted to myself that I wasn't going to be able to live without her. Her anger when she thought Carmen was my wife gave me hope that she cared more than she'd let on then, and I had come close so many times to admitting to her that my love _did_ come with a ring, or anything else she wanted for that matter. Morelli kept fucking it up, though. He'd always interrupted just when I found my balls and was going to tell her how much I wanted her, _needed_ her. He knew I loved her. Fucking prick!

I looked down into her sleeping face. She looked more relaxed, almost peaceful, except for the tearstains. Evidently the thoughts that had been disrupting her exhausted slumber earlier had faded, and allowed her some much needed rest. I was relieved, because even though I hadn't slept much the past few days, I needed to get up.

Bobby would be arriving in a couple of hours to take over for Lester, and I wanted him to get an update from Eddie as to Morelli's whereabouts before he headed out here. I needed to make sure the son of a bitch had no idea where we'd gone, had no possible way of locating Steph or even figuring out that we'd secreted her away, although it was likely he'd already figured that part out. I wasn't exactly invisible when I'd pulled up to her apartment after the explosion, and even though the SUV that Lester had been driving wasn't one of our regular black ones, there were too many witnesses who could identify us at the scene, and they wouldn't know not to keep that information from Morelli. There were also a few things we would need to discuss before Lester headed back to Rangeman, such as the visit he would need to pay to my Babe's father. It would have to be discreet, without her mother or grandmother around. I didn't trust her mother not to divulge our whereabouts to Morelli, since she would never believe he would be a danger to her daughter, and her grandmother would probably try to locate the safe house. Although I knew there was no way she could, it was too important that the knowledge we were still in the area remain a closely guarded secret. The cop had too many eyes out there.

I eased myself away from her, stopping when she let out a soft moan of disappointment and tried to follow before settling back into the bed with a sigh. I slipped out from under the covers and tucked them around her, repositioning my pillow next to her to give her unconscious mind the illusion of a form next to her. I doubted it would fool her; she has the uncanny ability to sense my presence, even when she's asleep. It was a talent I'd also acquired since I'd first kissed her in her parking lot almost three years ago, although I'd never really paid much mind to it. I knew where she was just about all the time anyway, which seemed almost redundant considering the strength of that sense of awareness we shared. Except when she'd get kidnapped, which happened all too often.

I finished dressing and re-arming myself, glancing at her sleeping peacefully in my bed. She looked good there. I hoped she would never leave it, but I knew better than to give my heart false hope. I know damn well when she wakes up she'll focus on my role in that file; _anything_ to avoid thinking about Morelli's part in the attempts on her life. She'd need to vent, and I would be convenient. I was prepared for that, and so were my men. One thing I know she's assured of; I would never hurt her, would never allow any harm to come to her if it's within my power. My only wish besides keeping her safe and secure until this mess was over is that she would come back to my bed, and to me.

I leaned over and brushed my lips across hers lightly before making my way out of the room, grabbing my cell phone off my belt as I quietly closing the door. I hit speed dial 4 as I started down the stairs, the phone barely making it to the second ring before it was picked up.

"Yo Bobby. Get Morelli's six, then stop by the bakery for a dozen of Steph's favorites before heading out here." I paused and then added "Find out where Mr. Plum will be in about two hours. Discreetly." I snapped my phone shut, wincing to myself at the thought of actually buying that junk for her, but I knew in the long run it was the best thing to do. It was comfort food for my Babe, and I wanted to surround her with as much comfort as I could safely provide, although how safe the donuts were for her was debatable. That thought was followed by another less pleasing activity in her opinion. I'd get her up to run first thing in the morning, which was sure to piss her off, but would serve to take her mind off the file, if only for a short time. She'd be too busy grumbling about the early hour as well as actually having to run to realize just how far she was running, and by the time it kicked in, we'd be done.

I went into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, grabbing a bottle of water off the shelf and closing the door with a snap. The most urgent detail that needed attention was the conversation Lester needed to have with Mr. Plum. He needed to be assured of her safety, but he also deserved to be apprised of the situation. He was ex-Army, so I knew he would understand the precautions we were taking, but I wasn't sure how he stood in his feelings about Morelli. He was 'burg, after all, and might not approve of an outsider like me not only secreting his daughter away, but also investigating one of their own, and a cop at that. Especially the cop that had been dating his daughter. He never said much; as a matter of fact he was just as closed mouth as I was, although a large part of that was probably the fact that he wouldn't be able to get a word in edgewise in his household. Mrs. Plum seemed to speak for everyone. Well, except for Steph's Grandma.

I grinned at the thought of Mrs. Mazur. She had spunk, and didn't give in easily to _anything,_ especially if it was something she really wanted to say or do. A lot like my Babe, as a matter of fact. She was just more assertive, which was a quality I admired. She didn't care what other people thought or said, which was something rare in the 'burg. It made me wonder how she could have raised a daughter who was so wrapped up in what everyone else thought of her that she made Steph's life miserable. It was a situation I planned to rectify immediately if and when Steph became mine permanently.

Lester came into the kitchen shaking his head, a grin plastered on his face as he clipped his cell phone onto his belt and began to tie the back strings to an chef's apron he had hanging from his neck. I grinned when I noticed the slogan that had been embroidered on the front. 'My daddy can cook your daddy's ass!' was written in fire-engine red across the front of the black apron, while underneath was a caricature of a chef brandishing a roasting fork in his hand running after another chef with a spatula. It was a gift from his twelve-year-old daughter Mia for his birthday just three weeks ago. She'd called me the night before his party when her mother had brought it home, so excited she was practically jumping out of her skin, her squeals of delight almost drowning out the radio I'd been listening to as I was driving home in the Porsche. I hadn't seen it yet, but Mia had described it to me in vivid detail, telling me how Aunt Ella had been working on it for months, getting the caricature just right. Come to think of it, the chef with the fork _did_ kinda look like Lester. I whipped out my cell phone and snapped a picture, chuckling at the idea that Abuela Maria would probably frame it for the family pictures. She loved pictures like this, since it showed a different side to us from the serious faces we always presented. It also worked well as blackmail material.

"Looking good there, cuz." I drawled, a grin washing over my face at Lester's look of surprise, then an embarrassed smile of his own appeared at being caught with 'women's apparel' on. Then his eyes widened when he noticed the phone in my hand, busily snapping more pictures as he stood there frozen. I quickly hit the button to send them straight to my email and snapped my phone closed, slipping it into my pocket as he suddenly lunged for it. I started laughing as he began grappling with me, trying to reach into my pocket to destroy the evidence. This was even better than finding him talking to my Babe's rat, because I had it on film. No way could he explain this one!

"Aw, man, no! Please tell me you didn't just send that to Abuela!" He was actually pleading with me, still trying to wrest the phone out of my pocket when I did a quick move and suddenly had him in a headlock. He tried to pry my arms away from his neck, still pleading with me even as he kicked back with his left leg to wrap around my own leg in the hopes of knocking me off balance and breaking the headlock. "Ric, c'mon cuz! Who's always had your back, huh?"

I let out another burst of laughter as he began bargaining. We'd done this so many times growing up I could almost recite word for word what would come out of his mouth even before he uttered the next sentence. "I'll head off Abuela and Mama, I swear man! You won't even have to dodge anyone. I'll get Marissa and Mia to help, too! Please, man!" He was really getting desperate. Never before had he promised to have his own wife and daughter run interference when my family decided to grill me about my lack of a love life. He must really be worried I'd show it to the guys!

"Hands off the phone, and I won't show it around Rangeman…unless you piss me off." I growled in his ear. I hadn't really planned on showing it to anyone but family, but what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him. He had no way of knowing who I'd sent the pictures to, and as long as I could keep him in suspense, I could get miles out of him. He should have been more aware of his surroundings.

He quit struggling, so I released the headlock, keeping my body turned so the pocket containing my phone was out of his reach. He's no idiot, but neither am I. We knew each other too well for either of us to let down our guard, even though we'd both act as if all was forgotten. Hmm. I'd have to make sure I send extra copies to a couple of other email accounts I had. He was too good at hacking into the computers for me to believe he wouldn't try to track where I'd sent the pictures and delete them. He _was_ family after all, and my family has been known to be sneakier that most of the skips we brought in.

All thoughts of the subject came to a halt with the sound of an SUV pulling up to the house. Both Lester and I palmed our guns and made our way to the front door, Lester peeking out through a crack in the window blinds to one side of the door while I checked through another window. We both relaxed as we recognized Bobby stepping down out of the truck with a bag of donuts and a duffle bag. We both holstered our weapons and I moved to unbolt the door, opening it to allow Bobby inside before closing and relocking the door.

Lester made as if to grab the bag and open it, but Bobby snatched it away, tossing the duffle bag onto the sofa and tucking the pastry bag behind his back. He wagged a finger at Lester, shaking his head no at the same time and chiding him for trying to swipe the treats he'd brought for my Babe. "Nuh uh, buddy. These are for Bombshell. You don't want to have her wake up to no donuts for breakfast, do you?" That stopped Lester cold and I chuckled. My Babe could be pretty scary in the mornings if she didn't have her coffee and donuts, and my men knew it. Just the fact that Bobby had brought them especially for her was enough to change Lester's mind apparently, because the merely shrugged and turned to head back into the kitchen.

"You bring that second copy of the file for Mr. Plum?" I asked Bobby, indicating he should follow Lester to the kitchen where we could talk while the coffee brewed and Lester made breakfast. I wanted to get this part of the conversation over with before Steph woke up and joined us. She would probably want to call her dad when she'd had a cup or two of coffee, just to reassure him that she was okay, but right now I couldn't let her do that until he'd been briefed on the events we'd collected evidence on.

Bobby nodded and gestured to the duffle bag he'd tossed onto the sofa. "Yeah, copy's in my bag. Didn't want Bombshell's donuts to get crushed, so I stashed the file in there. You want it now?" he asked.

I shook my head no and sank onto a stool, motioning him to do the same. Lester poured three cups of coffee and set them down on the bar, grabbing one and seating himself on another stool facing me. Bobby sat down on another stool between us and snatched himself a cup, taking a cautionary sip before setting it down in front of him and throwing me a questioning glance.

"How much of the file did you edit?" I asked, thinking that maybe the photos of my Babe that were taken at the scenes should be removed. Her father would be angry as it is; we didn't need him to go off half-cocked and go after Morelli just yet, even though he had every right to. I wanted no question of impropriety when it came time for him to be arrested, even though I'd wanted to 'take care of him' myself. It had taken Tank, Lester and Bobby several hours to make me see reason and do this right, do it by the book. By that time Tank had already put things in motion to start our investigation to nail Morelli. I owed my friend big.

"Not too much. We took the stuff with Gilman out, and a few of the pictures. A couple of them nearly sent Tank through the roof, so we thought we'd spare her dad." He took another sip of coffee and looked carefully at my face. "How'd Bomber take the news?" I grasped the handle of my coffee cup; my Babe had done extremely well when she'd read the file, but the pain I heard in her sobs as I held her tight against me echoed in my mind. I looked up at Bobby's face and sighed.

"She did great until she finished, then she broke down. She had a rough time sleeping until just a while ago. She'll probably be up soon." Like when she smelled the coffee and realized it was morning. Earlier than she normally woke, but then she'd been sleeping for nearly ten hours. A decent amount of time even by her standards.

"She's gonna wanna call her family soon, Ric." Lester said quietly.

"I know." I looked at Bobby. "You find out where Mr. Plum is?" I took a few sips of my coffee while waiting for him to answer. I was hoping he would be driving his cab, but it was still a bit early. Barely 7:00 am. He was probably just getting up and having his first cup of coffee, and waiting for his breakfast. I might have to have someone make a call to get him out of the house where he wouldn't be overheard.

"Yeah. I've got Manny watching the house. Her family was just barely waking up when I passed by there, so we figured he could give them about an hour or so before calling his cab service and requesting him personally. He should be making it to the station about the same time as Lester." Bobby got up to refill his coffee, holding up the pot to ask if we wanted refills. Lester held up his cup, then reached over and grabbed mine so Bobby could top it off as well. I took the mug from Lester and nodded my thanks, taking another sip before setting it back down in front of me.

"Good. Let's eat and then I've got some more calls to make in my office. Bobby, call Eddie and make sure Morelli's occupied, then call Ram and get an update on our witnesses. I'm gonna go check on Steph." I got up and stretched, finished off my coffee and set the dirty mug in the sink. I took a clean mug out of the cupboard and poured some coffee in it, adding milk and sugar the way my Babe liked it, then snagged the bag of donuts and headed upstairs to the bedroom. If she was still asleep, the coffee and donuts would wake her in a much better mood than if she had already woken. Besides, I loved seeing her when she was just waking up; her eyes would be all soft and clear, and I would see her thoughts flying across her face before she became aware and hid them from me, like she had last night.

I only hoped those thoughts wouldn't be painful.

tbc


	11. Chapter 11 Bobby's POV

Disclaimer: I don't own 'em, not making any money, just borrowing….I may let Janet borrow Ranger back, depending on what Book 15 is gonna be like! A huge thanks to BB for her awesome beta work, Kym for making me laugh my ass off and making it necessary to do mountains of laundry (and stepping in to beta when BB gets swamped!), the girls from BurumaBabes for nagging me, and all you fantastic reviewers who encourage me to keep going. Thank you so much for your support!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 11

Bobby's POV

I WOKE UP TO my cell phone playing 'Rockstar' by Nickelback, a song I'd assigned to Lester's number ever since I'd heard it for the first time. Les liked to act like a player, like he had a different woman every night, especially in front of Bombshell, but the rest of us knew better. He was still madly in love with his wife Marissa, and thought the sun rose and set on his daughter Mia. He goaded Ric a lot, pretending to put the moves on Steph, but we all knew it was just another dig for Ric…incentive to get his head out of his ass and make the moves on her himself.

I grabbed the cell as I pulled myself out of bed and flipped it open, tucking it between my ear and shoulder as I pulled on a pair of cargos that I'd laid out just a few short hours ago. "Yo!" I said as I reached into the dresser drawer and snagged a pair of socks, then moving to the end of the bed to sit down. I thrust my feet into them and then into my boots I'd left sitting there on the floor, lacing them up as I waited for him to speak.

Lester was crooning endearments in Spanish that almost made my eyes bug out. What the hell! I woke up real fast as I told him to repeat what he'd been saying, wanting to make sure I heard right. Hot damn! None of us had ever heard Ric say the things Lester was repeating to me…not to _any_ woman, even Rachel, his ex-wife. It figured he would say all this to her so she couldn't understand a word he as saying, since we knew Bombshell didn't know any Spanish. If he'd only tell her in English, our lives would probably be a whole lot easier, and she wouldn't be so confused all the time. We knew she loved Ric, but we also knew what a dumbshit he'd been when he sent her back to the cop over and over. She'd be on Ric like white on rice if he'd own up to how he really felt about her and quit the Batman shit. The cop wouldn't stand a chance then!

Lester told me about his call to Tank, which made me laugh. I promised to call him back after I talked to Tank next and quizzed him to see if he remembered the call. I flipped my phone shut and clipped it on to my belt. Tank had been working doubles to make sure we had all the info we needed for the files, as well as insuring the safety of our remaining witnesses. Chances are he hadn't had very much sleep when Lester called him. I know it had to have been well after 0200 before he'd gone to bed, and it was now just after 0600. When I had crashed at midnight, he had been going through the duplicate copy of the file, getting it ready for Lester to show Mr. Plum. We weren't a hundred percent sure how Bombshell's dad would react when he saw the evidence of how his daughter had been victimized. Hell, it was all _we_ could do to hold back and not make the cop disappear permanently! It was only the thought of what would happen to Morelli in jail that stopped us. Cops didn't last long, and they usually wished they were dead long before the lights went out for good. Too bad we couldn't all get a piece before that happened.

I snatched up my keys from my dresser in one hand and picked up my duffle bag from the chair where I'd placed it last night. Chances are I wouldn't be staying at the safe house for more than one night, but it didn't hurt to be prepared. You never knew what was gonna happen where Bombshell was concerned.

I made my way out the door and hit the stairs, taking two at a time to get my blood pumping. I knew Ella would have coffee going in the break room; she'd kept the industrial-sized coffee makers full of the stuff for the past two weeks solid, and we'd all drank gallons of it trying to stay awake since we hadn't had much time to sleep. Hopefully the hectic hours we'd been working would soon be over, since we had accumulated a mountain of evidence against Morelli and would probably be taking it to the DA later today. We'd be pushing for him to be held without bail, since the evidence showed how dangerous he was to Bombshell and anyone who interfered with his agenda. There was also the matter of his past history as an FTA, which showed he was a flight risk. We could only hope the judge would see it our way.

I nodded to Manny, who was headed out to the Plum residence. He would be keeping an eye on the Bombshell's family to monitor their movements until we could gauge the safest way to contact Frank Plum without the cop knowing. I didn't envy his duty today. Steph's crazy Grandma was bound to set her sights on getting him out of the truck and copping a feel if she got up soon and spotted him before he could make the call into Mr. Plum's dispatch and make his getaway.

I stopped by Tank's office and picked up the folder he'd left for me on his desk, then walked down to the break room. God bless Ella; she'd even left me some of her coffee cake wrapped in cellophane sitting next to my travel mug. I grinned, knowing Ric would normally have a shit fit at the amounts of sugar that had been present in the break room lately. He'd relaxed that rule when the info started rolling in and we realized what we were up against. Even he knew we needed some slack somewhere, and the sweets were the only way he had to show all the guys his appreciation for their hard work and endless hours we all put in on this until this was over. The sugar also helped keeping our adrenaline pumping, which tended to slow during the long days without much sleep. Most people wouldn't think it was much, but we all knew how much it meant to him to allow the junk food in.

I headed towards the elevator, balancing my travel mug and the coffee cake on the folder in one hand while hitting the button with the knuckle of my left hand that was gripping the duffle bag. I'd have to do a little rearranging if I wanted to drink my coffee instead of wearing it. The doors opened, and I slipped inside, setting the bag down and hitting the button for the garage. I unwrapped the coffee cake one handed and wolfed it down, taking a couple sips of coffee just as the elevator stopped and opened to the garage.

I tossed the wrapper into a trash can right outside the door and picked up the duffle bag, tucking the folder under my arm and making my way to my SUV while sipping more coffee down. I stopped at the driver's door and set the mug on the roof, taking my keys out of my pocket and beeping the door open. Just as I opened the door and tossed my bag and the folder onto the passenger seat, when my phone started blaring 'Citizen Soldier' by 3 Doors Down, a song that I'd heard Lester say was Ric's signature song. I sighed. Lester's been fucking with my phone again.

It was Ric, all right. "Yo Bobby. Get Morelli's six, then stop by the bakery for a dozen of Steph's favorites before heading out here." Ric paused, then added "Find out where Mr. Plum will be in about two hours. Discreetly." He sounded tense, which was a little off for him, although it didn't really surprise me given the way we'd all been going lately. Normally Ric doesn't do tense, he just gets real focused, which some mistake lack of emotions. It's how we were trained in the Rangers, and had saved our asses on numerous occasions. He hung up so I grabbed my travel mug off the roof of the car, jumped into the drivers seat and shoved the key into the ignition. Might be better if I called Eddie before heading out, just in case I had to alter my route a little.

I snatched my phone off my belt and flipped it open, punching in a number I'd memorized. As a precaution none of us had stored Gazarra's phone number just in case we were pulled over and the cop noticed his number stored in our phones. Our entire investigation could be compromised if Morelli got wind we'd been chummy with Eddie. To be honest, I'm not too sure Eddie himself wouldn't become listed among the missing if Morelli thought he was helping us. The shit he'd done to the Bomber was testament to that. He picked up on the first ring. He must've been waiting for a call, because he'd always waited at least three rings before answering. Something about a lot of hang-ups he'd had lately…

"Gazarra." Hmm, usually he said my name when he answered my calls. Evidently he couldn't talk which could mean he's either with the cop, or someone who was close with him. I'd have to phrase my questions so whoever he was with wouldn't catch on who was calling him, but also so I could get the answers I needed.

"Hi honey, whatcha doin'?" I heard him ask as I listened intently for any background noises. I heard the hum of voices, some male and some female. Probably at the cop shop, which meant he would either head into the restroom or outside. I'm betting outside. The walls tend to have ears in public restrooms.

"Hold on a sec Shirley. I can't hear too good with all this racket." It was a message telling me Morelli was there right next to him. If it had been anyone else, he would have just said he'd call me back. That was odd; usually the cop wasn't in this early. I heard the back door of the station slam and then his voice came back on the phone.

"Bobby. Sorry about that. Joe was standing right next to me when you called. I was just getting ready to call my house before the kids left for school. What's up?" His voice sounded casually cheerful, like everything was business as usual. I leaned my head back against the seat, relaxing a little as I realized I'd tensed up at the news that Morelli was close by. I had to admire Gazarra's composure through all this. If I were in his shoes, I don't think I could act natural around that piece of shit. After all, he'd known Bombshell all his life, they were best friends, and she was his wife's cousin. I'd always wanted to kick the shit out of Morelli just on general principles. But, the last couple of weeks had taken the hate towards Morelli to a new level. Gazarra was holding it together; Ranger had picked our contact well.

"What's Morelli doing in so early? Any idea where he's heading?" I paused, then continued, knowing what I said next would erase that cheerful tone in his voice. "Lester's gonna be meeting with Steph's dad in a couple of hours. We're showing him the file." I heard him draw in a breath; guess he was just as concerned as we were about Mr. Plum's reaction to the file's contents.

"We had a body turn up in that pit they call a hotel down on Stark Street a few hours ago. We just finished up at the scene and were briefing the day shift. He says he's headed home for some sleep. Might want to have a shadow on him while you guys are with Frank. I wouldn't put it past him to slip out the back and sniff you guys out." He paused, then sighed. "He dropped in on the Plum's a couple times yesterday looking for Steph. He and Helen have been taking turns driving past Rangeman; he knows you picked her up from her apartment. Watch your tail." He sounded depressed, and I could tell it was getting to him. No one likes to find out that someone you've trusted with your life is a manipulative psychotic murderer, and it's even worse when it's your friend and family that are targeted.

"No problem, Gazarra. I'll get Woody and Vince to tag-team him in their personal vehicles. Woody used to be a cop in L.A., and Vince trained at the FBI academy before he came here. They're two of our best, so we should be okay. You off now?" I asked, turning the key to start up my SUV. I needed to get moving if I was going to make that stop for Bombshell's donuts and get to the safe house in time to have a quick cup of coffee with Les and Ric before the day started. Too bad Tank was crashed out in his apartment. It's been a while since the four of us actually relaxed together for a few minutes before starting the day. When this shit was over I think I'll tell Ric we need some down time. Maybe we could all head to Miami for a few days. I know my girlfriend would appreciate a few days in the sun, and it would do us good to get out of town and recharge.

"I'm on until nine," he answered. Then he sighed again. "Have Lester call me when he's on his way to meet Frank. Might be a good idea if I'm with Lester when he talks to him. He doesn't know you guys very well, so he's gonna be skeptical. I can vouch that the information's legitimate, and assure him Steph's safer with you guys than at home with them."

"Will do. Thanks for the heads up about the drive-bys. I'll let Lester know." I closed my phone as I pulled up to the Tasty Pastry and hopped out of the seat. I clipped my phone back on my belt as I opened the door and went inside. There wasn't anyone else inside except the girl behind the counter, and she hurried to bag up the donuts as fast as she could. Sometimes it pays to be big and scary.

I climbed back into the SUV and pulled out into traffic, checking my rearview mirrors as I drove down Hamilton. I unclipped my cell from my belt and hit speed dial five. It only rang once before it was picked up.

"Yo!" Good. He was awake.

"Vince, I need you to grab Woody and head down to the cop shop. Take your personal cars and tag-team Morelli. Our contact said he was heading home for some sleep, but make sure just to be safe. I'm not sure if I'm clean to head up to the safe house. Call me if he heads anywhere else but home." I flipped my phone shut and replaced it on my belt and turned onto the street where the Plum's house was. I saw Manny's SUV parked across the street and down one house from Steph's parents, where he was sipping coffee from a travel mug while watching the house. I pulled up next to him and rolled down my window, motioning for him to do the same.

"Any movement yet?" I asked, knowing he would've spotted the tiniest sign that the household was stirring. He nodded his head, swallowing the mouthful of coffee before attempting to answer.

"Yeah, looks like they're just getting up. Probably should try calling in about an hour and a half or so at the earliest. I doubt he'd be willing to leave any earlier. You headed up there?" he asked, opening a thermos to refill his mug. Manny could drink more coffee than just about anyone I knew, with the exception of Steph. I nodded my head as I sipped from my own mug, then swallowed.

"Call with a status report in about an hour. Lester will be heading out about then, and he'll need to know where Mr. Plum is so we can plan the call to have them meet. You see Morelli, you call ASAP. He's supposed to be headed back to his house, but it's best not to take any chances. You clear?" I waited for his acknowledgement, then rolled the window up partially as I accelerated and moved off slowly. It would draw unwanted attention to move too quickly in this neighborhood, and especially at this early hour.

I wove slowly through the area known as the 'burg, glancing occasionally in the rearview mirrors to make sure I wasn't followed, then sped up as I reached the suburbs. I followed a back road until I reached the interstate, all the while keeping an eye out for any tails. I merged onto the highway, driving for only a short distance before exiting a little used off-ramp and followed a gravel road for a few miles. The road started to gradually climb towards a large forest of trees, the tops lost in the low cloud cover and slowly dissipating morning mist. In no time at all I was pulling into the large clearing where Ric's sprawling log home sat hunkered in the center of the clearing. I shut off the engine and turned to the passenger seat. I opened the duffle bag and slipped the folder inside, zipping it up and grabbing the handles while taking the pastry bag in my other hand. I wondered if Ric had shown Bombshell the file yet, and how she'd reacted. Judging by the bag of pastries he'd had me pick up on my way, not too well.

I exited the SUV, beeping it locked before pocketing my keys and starting up the steps to the porch. The door swung open as I reached the doorway, so I moved into the entryway, Ric quickly closing the door and bolting it behind me. Lester had just holstered his gun and started to grab the bag of pastries, but I snatched it away. I tossed the duffle bag onto the sofa and tucked the pastry bag behind my back. I wagged a finger at Lester, shaking my head no at the same time and chiding him for trying to swipe the treats I'd brought for Steph. "Nuh uh, buddy. These are for Bombshell. You don't want to have her wake up to no donuts for breakfast, do you?" That stopped Lester cold and I heard Ric chuckle. We knew damn well none of us wanted to face that woman without donuts this early in the morning, and if she found out _anyone_ had eaten her Boston Creams, she'd make our lives hell. Not that Lester would've been too worried; he wasn't gonna be around when she woke up. It would just be Ric and I, and there was no way in hell I wanted to be stuck here with a pissed off Bombshell. Well, any more than she already was!

"You bring that second copy of the file for Mr. Plum?" Ric asked, indicating he wanted me to follow Lester to the kitchen where we could talk while the coffee brewed and Lester made breakfast. I think he wanted to get this part of the conversation over with before Steph woke up. She'd more than likely want to call her family when she'd had some coffee and donuts, but I think Ric wanted to hold off letting her do that until we could show her dad the evidence we had and get his take on what our next step should be. Not that Ric would necessarily do as he said, but would consider his suggestions. It all boiled down to the best way to keep her safe, and one thing's for sure, there's nobody better at keeping a body safe than Ric…even Bombshell, if she'd cooperate.

"Yeah, copy's in my bag." I indicated my duffle bag. "Didn't want Bombshell's donuts to get crushed, so I stashed the file in there. You want it now?" I asked.

Ric shook his head no and sank onto a stool, motioning me to do the same. Lester poured three cups of coffee and set them down on the bar, grabbing one and seating himself on another stool facing me. I sat down on another stool between them and snatched myself a cup, taking a cautionary sip before setting it down in front of me and throwing Ric a questioning glance.

"How much of the file did you edit?" Ric asked, a slight frown on his face.

I grimaced as the crime scene photos from Ehrlichman came to mind. There were some pretty graphic pictures of the injuries Bombshell had sustained while fighting off the prick, and even though she'd managed to escape with only a few bad bruises and some scrapes, at the time they were extremely painful for her. I'd had a hard time even looking at the written information in the file, and after seeing those pictures only once, refused to even look at them again. That's why Tank had gotten the job of putting the file together for Mr. Plum. He loves Steph just as much as the rest of us, but somehow manages to contain the rage better. Tank's a little older than the rest of us, so he doesn't fly off the handle like we're prone to do when it comes to someone we care about. Needless to say, as with most big brothers, we don't do pain well when it comes to her.

From the look on Ric's face, he was seeing those photos again just as clearly as if they were sitting in front of him. The last incident, when her car was blown up, didn't have any of Steph in them though, just the car and the damage to the rest of the parking lot. They'd managed to get her out of there before any photographers showed up, so the only 'pictures' of her then where in Ric's head. He'd been first on the scene and had bundled her up into Lester's SUV as soon as he'd arrived just a minute or two after Ric. I shook my head.

"Not too much. We took the stuff with Gilman out, and a few of the pictures. A couple of them nearly sent Tank through the roof, so we thought we'd spare her dad." I took another sip of coffee and looked up at Ric. "How'd Bomber take the news?" I saw his knuckles turn white as he grasped his coffee mug, and for a minute I thought he was gonna break it. I was watching his face when he looked up at me and sighed. Shit. No wonder he told me to get the donuts. Somehow I don't think she got pissed, which is what we'd all hope would happen.

"She did great until she finished, then she broke down. She had a rough time sleeping until just a while ago. She'll probably be up soon." We just sat there quietly, sipping our coffee and lost in our own thoughts until quietly Lester spoke up.

"She's gonna wanna call her family soon, Ric."

"I know." Ric looked at me. "You find out where Mr. Plum is?" He took a few sips of his coffee while he waited for me to answer.

"Yeah. I've got Manny watching the house. Her family was just barely waking up when I passed by there, so we figured he could give them about an hour or so before calling his cab service and requesting him personally. He should be making it to the station about the same time as Lester." I got up to refill my coffee, holding up the pot to ask if they wanted refills. Lester held up his cup, then reached over and grabbed Ric's so I could top it off as well. He took the mug from Lester and nodded his thanks, taking another sip before setting it back down in front of him. Then he continued.

"Good. Let's eat and then I've got some more calls to make in my office. Bobby, call Eddie and make sure Morelli's occupied, then call Ram and get an update on our witnesses. I'm gonna go check on Steph." Ric got up and stretched, finished off his coffee and set the dirty mug in the sink. He took a clean mug out of the cupboard and poured some coffee in it, adding milk and sugar the way Bombshell liked it, then snagged the bag of donuts and headed upstairs to the bedroom. I smirked. Ric's actions practically screamed an intimacy that spoke volumes about how deep his feelings were. He'd deny it of course, but it was so obvious to just about everyone who saw them together how they felt about each other. Probably why the cop escalated his 'campaign'. Although I personally thought he was about three years too late.

I looked up at Lester and grinned. He'd been watching Ric also, but had turned to me as soon as Ric left the room with the coffee and donuts. I raised an eyebrow in question and waited for him to fill me in on what had happened here since he'd brought Steph in.

"Ric spilled his guts to her right after we got here, but you know how they are. Totally misinterpreted each other's reactions, so it's anybody's guess how it'll all turn out." Lester stated, then took another sip of coffee, a thoughtful look on his face. I couldn't hide my look of surprise at this turn of events, but then just about everything Ric's done lately has surprised and even shocked the shit out of all of us.

"'Bout fuckin' time! And what do you mean they misinterpreted each other's reactions? Just what the hell happened, Les?" I questioned. I know I looked confused, 'cause I sure as shit felt confused!

Lester refilled his coffee mug again, topped mine off with the last of the pot, and sat back down on the stool across from me, taking a sip of coffee and clearing his throat. I knew from the way he was stalling that what he had to tell me wasn't pretty.

"Ric told Bomber he loved her, without qualifications, and said she started crying and hyperventilating. Then she asked him why, then took off for the bathroom." He sighed and took another sip of coffee. "I wasn't there at the time; this is just what Ric told me. He had to have told her, though, 'cause he was damn near tearing his hair out when I came back in and he asked me what he'd done wrong. You should have seen his face, Bobby. He was really hurting, and Bomber too. She broke down in the bedroom later, bawling her eyes out. I don't understand any of this shit. I thought once Ric came clean, Bomber would too. Hell, we all did! Now, I don't know what to think." He sighed again, then picked up his coffee and drained it before setting the mug back down on the table with a thud.

I was stunned. Not only by the fact that had Ric finally told Bombshell how he really felt about her, but also her reaction. This wasn't how we all thought it would play out. Steph needs us, needs _him_, to make it through the shit that was gonna fly once the info in that file became public, so why in the hell had she run away? Was there something going on here that we didn't know about?

What the hell were we gonna do now?

tbc


	12. Chapter 12 Lester's POV

Disclaimer: See the previous chapters. I couldn't get this to read half-assed decent if it wasn't for BB. Thanks Babe!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 12

Lester's POV

I WATCHED RIC AS he headed out of the kitchen with Bomber's coffee and bag of donuts. I sure hoped he didn't fuck up and say something stupid, _again_, that would turn around and bite him in the ass, _again_! I swear, when it comes to women, Bomber in particular, his mouth just ain't connected to his brain. At least I know enough when to shut up and just kiss my woman. Being married to Mari for so long has taught me that much. She's made me happier than I'd ever been.

I looked over at Bobby, who was grinning like a Cheshire Cat who just nabbed the prize. He raised an eyebrow in question, so I took a sip of coffee and cleared my throat. I really didn't want to rain on anyone's parade here, especially since we'd all looked forward to the day Ric finally manned up, but neither did I want to lie and say all was well. And since I had to head out soon, Bobby needed to be briefed on the latest. Maybe he would have a clue on how to help those two communicate, since I was fresh out of ideas.

"Ric said he spilled his guts to her right after we got here, but for some reason she got all upset. Totally misinterpreted each other's reactions is what I think, so it's anybody's guess how it'll all turn out." I said, taking another sip of coffee. I wondered just how we were gonna be able to get through all this shit without Bomber freaking out even more, and Ric…who knows how he'll handle all this. I just hoped he'd hang in there until we could get all the crap straightened out, and then deal with what was going on with Bomber.

"'Bout fuckin' time! And what do you mean you think they misinterpreted each other's reactions? Just what the hell happened, Les?" Bobby asked, looking totally confused. Join the club.

I refilled my coffee mug, topped Bobby's off with the last of the pot, and sat back down on the stool across from him. I took a sip of coffee and cleared my throat, stalling for time. I really hated to burst his bubble.

"Ric told Bomber she loved her, without qualifications, and said she started crying and hyperventilating. Then she asked him why, before taking off for the bathroom." I sighed and took another sip of coffee. "I wasn't there at the time; this is just what Ric told me. He must have fucked it up, though, 'cause he was damn near tearing his hair out when I came back in and he asked me what he'd done wrong. You should have seen his face, Bobby. He was really hurting, and Bomber too. She broke down in the bedroom later, bawling her eyes out. I don't understand any of this shit. I thought once Ric came clean, Bomber would too. Hell, we all did! Now, I don't know what to think." I heaved out another sigh, then picked up my coffee and drained it before setting the mug back down on the table with a thud.

Bobby looked like he'd been pole-axed, and I really couldn't blame him for being so stunned. Hell, I was pretty much here when it happened and I _still_ can't believe it! Man, I'm glad I don't have to go through this shit anymore. Which gives me an idea. Just might help to get a woman's point of view, and I knew just the woman…

My internal musings were interrupted by Ric's reappearance in the kitchen; apparently he had left Steph with her coffee and donuts, but obviously didn't stay very long. I was curious as to why, but I sure as hell wasn't stupid enough to ask. I studied his face while we waited for him to explain what he was doing back downstairs. I had expected to be gone before that happened. Guess I thought wrong.

"Steph's in the shower, so let's get this over with. Bobby, you give Lester that copy of the file yet?" Ric asked. His whole demeanor was a lot more relaxed then when we'd first arrived, but still not quite what we were expecting it to be. More like resigned. Not a good thing considering the circumstances. Actually I'd almost hoped they would hole up there in Ric's room until this whole mess was over. I should have barred the door on them. Where's a good genie when you need one?

"Ric, you okay? How's Steph?" I asked, since he was his usual 'forthcoming' self.

"She seemed a lot better until I sat down on the bed next to her." He sighed and continued. "Then that damn blank face of hers came down again. She won't let me get close, physically _or_ emotionally. She shut me down when I tried to ask her how she was feeling." He scrubbed at his face with both hands, and I could see a little frustration working its way through him again.

"What did she say when you asked her?" I had a feeling I knew the answer. Anytime we questioned Bomber about how she was doing after a particularly dicey distraction, or when she'd had a rough day of chasing skips, her standard answer was 'I'm fine'. The girl just wouldn't admit to being scared or upset. Miss Denial took over.

"She said she was fine. She won't look me in the eye; she just sits there all tense, or gets up and moves across the room from me, like she can't stand to be within five feet of me. Fuck, you'd think I had leprosy or something now. She even abandoned her coffee in the bedroom and told me she needed a shower, then ran into the bathroom. She couldn't get away from me fast enough." Ric sighed and sat down heavily onto a stool, putting his head down in his hands and rubbing his forehead. Damn, only 0730 and she's already got him twisted in knots. Gotta be a new record.

Bobby had walked back into the room and sat back down on a stool across from me during Ric's little tirade (for him anyways!) and slid the file towards me, quietly listening to Ric as he poured out his frustration. He looked from Ric to me and raised an eyebrow.

"Ric?" He looked up at me, waiting for me to continue. I cleared my throat and decided to jump in with both feet, praying I wasn't doing something that would come back and bite _me_ in the ass.

"I have an idea." I said. Bobby scoffed and threw me a derisive look which I ignored. Hey, I can have a good plan once in a while! "How about I bring Mari and Mia up for dinner tonight? I'm sure Bomber could use some female company, and while we keep Mia occupied, Mari could maybe get Steph to confide in her what's going on. She's not part of the ''burgvine' that Steph's always bitching about, so she wouldn't have to worry about everyone knowing her business." I shot a questioning look at Ric, while out of the corner of my eye I caught Bobby doing a fish impression. I almost laughed.

"Might be a good idea, Les. Even if she doesn't want me, I'm sure she'd love the company." Ric commented, nodding his head slightly and then sitting up straighter as if the matter was closed. Little did he know I was just getting started.

"So what did Bombshell say when you brought her coffee and donuts, Ric?" Bobby asked, an undercurrent of worry in his voice. He always had to fix things, which is why he became a medic in the army. Now, he wanted to fix Ric and Steph. Good luck with that!

"Not much," Ric answered. "After I gave her the coffee and she took a couple swallows, she seemed to wake up and Bam! Her blank look came up." He sighed again. Damn, what is all this sighing shit with Ric today? He never sighed, not until he met Bomber, at least. "I just don't know what to do anymore. I thought she loved me like I love her, but evidently I was wrong. I've tried to show her how much she means to me, and when that didn't work, I told her. Maybe I'm all wrong about this. I hate the thought of giving up, but it's probably for the best. I don't seem to be able to say the right words, and what I _do _say hurts her. I can't keep hurting her like this." I watched as pain lanced across his face before disappearing, almost like it was never there. He became Ranger again, only this time I wasn't sure if he was gonna ever be Ric again. I couldn't stand it. Not from my best friend and family. He deserved some happy finally, and I was gonna make sure he got it, one way or another. I decided a little sacrifice was in order, on my end at least.

"Ric, why don't you take the file and meet with Bomber's dad. I'll call Mari and have her and Mia come back with you. Maybe Bobby and I can get some answers while you're gone, and Mari will be our backup plan. What do you say?" I held my breath waiting for him to think it over. It would give him a chance to think a little more objectively; being away from Bomber would help him clear his head and give his thought processes a fresh start. Bomber tended to short-circuit him sometimes, although few knew this about him. I was the same way with Mari until she told me how much she loved me. Uncertainty wasn't an emotion the men in our family dealt with very well. We had a tendency to say and do really stupid things to keep from getting hurt, although it didn't always work. Now was a perfect example, because Ric was hurting. Badly.

"I don't think it matters anymore, Les. I can check up on a couple of other things that need to be dealt with, so I'll take you up on that offer. You need anything?" he asked, getting up and turning towards his office to retrieve the guns he'd taken off when he'd first arrived. In our experience, the amount of weapons we carried on us, especially when in public, meant the difference between coming back alive and being dead.

"Naw, I'm good. If I think of anything I need I'll call Mari and have her bring it with her. You okay with picking them up?" I asked, fairly certain that Mari and Mia would be able to take his mind off things for a while. I'd call her after Ric left and give her the heads up on the situation. She'd kill me if I let her walk into this mess blind, and as fond of Ric as she and Mia were, it would give her a chance to get a plan together to help.

"No sweat." He answered, already finished rearming and grabbing his jacket off the hook by the door. I stood, snatching the file Bobby had placed in front of me, as well as the keys to the Cayenne from the dish sitting on the counter next to me and walked over towards the door where Ric stood waiting. I grabbed him in a one-armed hug as I dropped the items into his hand, looking into his face searchingly.

"It'll all work out, Ric. Trust me." I said, my voice lowered so only he could hear me. I just hoped to hell I wasn't giving him false hope; he and Bomber meant too much to me for them both to be miserable like this. Now we just needed to figure out what the deal with Steph was. I think we had a better shot at getting her to open up if Ric wasn't here, but only time would tell, since she wasn't exactly acting like her normal self.

Ric nodded, but I could tell he didn't believe me. He'd blocked all emotion from his face, and even his eyes were expressionless. He wasn't gonna let himself get his hopes up; more like he was resigned to the fact that he would be left behind while Bomber walked away…again. Only this time he knew she wouldn't be going back to the cop. Just away from _him_.

He opened the front door and went down the steps, heading around the corner of the house to the shed where he'd parked the SUV. He pulled out of the shed and drove slowly out of the clearing, accelerating when he reached the graveled road that would lead him into the trees and towards Trenton. I sighed as I went over to Bobby's SUV and pulled it into the shed, locking the huge doors and setting the alarm we seldom used. We usually didn't worry about the shed, but since this situation wasn't exactly normal, all precautions would need to be observed. Especially with the Bomber involved.

I went back inside to where Bobby was waiting with his gun drawn, covering the doorway. He reholstered his weapon and smirked as I relocked the front door and set the alarm. All precautions, as I mentioned. I didn't think Bomber would try to run now, but I didn't want to chance any unwanted visitors. We're good, but not stupid.

Bobby smacked his forehead and pulled out his cell phone, hitting a speed dial number as he grimaced, causing me to raise an eyebrow in question. He held up a finger as he waited for the call to go through, a look of almost panic crossing his features. Hmm, wonder what that was about? I got my answer when the call was picked up.

"Yo Ric! I almost forgot. Gazarra thought it might be best if he was there when we met Mr. Plum. Said it would add credibility to the evidence for him. Might also be handy to have an ally there. You okay with that?" Bobby asked in a rush; apparently he had doubts. I almost laughed, since I knew damn well Ric would be more than fine with that development. Frank Plum was an unknown in this situation; we weren't so sure how he'd react. We all saw him as a quiet unassuming man, but Ric was convinced there was more to the man than he let on to the public. We all knew better than to doubt Ric's feeling on something like this, since he was usually right. It was why we had taken so many precautions when it came time to inform Bomber's father. I agreed with Ric; we were both fathers, to little girls yet, and _I_ sure as hell wouldn't sit back and watch if it was my daughter being threatened and used like this! Neither would Ric.

I watched Bobby as he breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed, closing his phone with a snap. The look on his face was almost comical when he looked up at me, a wry grin tilting his lips that earned him an answering smile from me. Even after all these years, sometimes Ric _still_ scared the shit out of him, which made Tank and I crack up when that happened. Ric was aware of this, even though he rarely ever took advantage of it. It depended on his mood.

"Think you should call Gazarra and let him know the change of plan?" I asked, grinning as Bobby hurriedly opened his phone and typed in a number, throwing me a dirty look as he waited for the call to be picked up. I smirked and moved past him into the kitchen to start another pot of coffee. Steph would probably need another cup or two, knowing her, and I'd much rather deal with her when she's had adequate (for her) caffeine in her system. Hey, I've got a wife; I'm not _that_ stupid!

The coffee was just finishing up when I heard a door close upstairs and the sound of light footsteps descending the stairs. Steph entered the kitchen hesitantly, as if unsure of her welcome, her empty coffee mug in one hand and the bag of pastries in the other. I grinned and tipped my head towards the coffeemaker, indicating that more coffee was made and she could help herself. She looked around, then set the bag on the counter next to me and moved over to the other counter to fill her mug, doctoring it with plenty of sugar and milk. She came over to the stools and sat down, keeping her eyes lowered as she took a sip of her coffee and swallowed. I reached over to the bag and opened it, surprised that she hadn't eaten any yet. I pulled one out and offered it to her, taking a huge bite when she declined. I finished chewing and was just getting ready to take another bite when she cleared her throat and asked in a raspy voice.

"Where's Ranger?" Her manner was almost unconcerned, yet I could see her tense up, waiting for an answer.

I took my bite before answering, chewing slowly while I decided how much to tell her. I got up and poured a fresh cup of coffee, debating on whether to give her a break, or go for the jugular. I leaned back against the counter and took a sip of coffee, studying her as I made up my mind. I was feeling pretty bummed on Ric's account, so the neck wound won out.

"You hate Ric that much, Steph?" She wasn't expecting me to say that; _I _sure as hell didn't until it came out of my mouth. It got one hell of a reaction, though. Maybe more than I'd bargained for, 'cause the look on her face when she gasped and looked up made me want to kick myself in the ass. Tears were starting to spill down her cheeks and her face was a mask of pain. I looked down into my coffee, hoping to find my resolve in the black depths of my mug. Not my lucky day.

"I…I don't hate R-Ranger," she whispered, gulping back sobs as more tears flooded her face. She wasn't hiding her feelings like she had earlier, and I almost wished she would. I hated to do this, but this shit had gone on long enough. I plowed on.

"Then why would you hurt him like that?" I asked, hoping like hell she'd let something spill that would give me an idea as to why Ric had been so dejected when he came downstairs after taking her coffee and donuts. Bobby walked in and stood behind her silently, placing a box of Kleenex next to her coffee mug.

"L-like what? Wh-what do you m-mean I h-hurt him?" she stammered, her voice choking back sobs as she tried to regain her composure. She scrubbed at her face with the hem of her T-shirt until she noticed the Kleenex and grabbed a handful out of the box, a hiccup escaping as she finished wiping her eyes and nose. I sighed. Shit, now I sounded like Ric!

"I mean, Steph, that Ric poured his heart out to you and you rejected him. Why?" I asked. "Isn't he good enough for you? Or is it because he's not from the 'burg?" I watched her face intently, waiting for some sign that she understood exactly what I was saying. I saw pain flash across her face again before she managed to get control and don her 'mask'. Crap!

"That was so not cool, Lester.' She said quietly, straightening her back and looking me right in the eye as she continued. "You know damn well that where he comes from doesn't matter to me. And as far as I'm concerned, he's more than good enough for me. He's my best friend!" She stopped and lowered her gaze to her coffee mug, staring into the liquid while she composed herself again. Her next words came out in a whisper. "He doesn't do stupid things like relationships or marriage. And I can't do one-night stands, not with him." Her voice was almost inaudible as she finished, her head bent as more tears leaked out and dropped into her coffee.

Shit, no wonder Ric was frustrated. She still thought he was trying to keep his distance. Just what the hell did he say to her, anyway? He'd said her told her he loved her, without restrictions, without the regular bullshit he's fed her the past few years. I decided to ask her just what he told her. Maybe if I had an idea of what she thought he told her…

"Bombshell, just what did Ranger say to you?" Bobby asked quietly from his position behind her before I could utter a word, laying a reassuring hand on her shoulder as I held my breath. I almost dreaded her answer. Ric can say one thing and mean another, which was something we were all well aware of.

"He said he loved me, but he's always said that. Something about being scared, and then he quoted some book. I didn't understand all of it because I was upset and angry, but when he closed me off with his blank face again, I understood what he was trying to do. I get it, guys. You don't have to rub my nose in it." Her voice broke at this point and she stood up, shoving her hands into the pockets of her jeans and turning towards the doorway that led to upstairs. Huh?

"Rub your nose in what, Bomber?" I asked, totally baffled. What the hell was she talking about?

She turned to face me and let out a strangled laugh. "I know now that every time I went back to Joe that somehow it hurt him, and I can understand why he needed to say what he did. I don't blame him, really I don't," she continued bitterly. "I just don't get why he had to bring on his lesson now, when I don't have that option anymore. When I don't have anyone…" Her voice tapered off and she turned back towards the stairs, her whole posture showing her dejection. She walked silently up the stairs, leaving Bobby and I standing in the kitchen.

I looked at Bobby in amazement, but since his face mirrored mine, he wasn't much help. If I didn't know any better, I'd think **what we have here is a failure to communicate. **

So what else was new?

tbc


	13. Chapter 13 Ranger's POV

Disclaimer: See the previous chapters. Again, warm fuzzy thanks to BB for her awesome beta skills, Kym for her exceptional critiques, and the girls of BB for nagging me to death! *grin*

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 13

Ranger's POV

WHEN LESTER OFFERED TO bring his wife & daughter up for dinner as female companionship for my Babe, it seemed like the answer to a prayer. But his suggestion that I meet with Frank Plum instead made me realize just how much I needed to get out of there for a while. I should have set it up that way in the first place, since it was my responsibility and not Lester's. I was the one who made the decision to inform him as soon as we collected enough evidence to solidify the case, and since we weren't sure of how he would react, I should be the one to deal with it if he should become difficult. I know Lester wasn't too keen on being the 'bearer of bad news' to Mr. Plum, although he hadn't said anything to indicate otherwise.

I would need to gauge the amount of participation that we could allow Frank to be involved with as well. I wouldn't dream of shutting him out of this now that we had concrete proof. He was, after all, her father, but there was also the feeling that there was more to the man than just a 'burg father and husband. I couldn't underestimate him since he was an unknown quantity. Too many FUBAR'd missions happened that way, and since this was the most important mission of my life, I wasn't taking any chances.

As I entered the outskirts of Trenton, I grinned as I recalled Bobby's phone call as soon as I'd barely left the clearing. He sounded almost panicked when he told me he'd almost forgotten Gazarra's offer to be present when we showed my Babe's father the file. If I'd been in a better mood I might have given him a ration of shit, but as preoccupied as I was with the situation I'd found myself in with Steph, as well as the pending meeting with her father, I couldn't be bothered for a little bit of fun. I know Lester wouldn't have passed on that opportunity, but right now I had more serious thoughts to contemplate.

I appreciated Gazarra's tacit suggestion at being included in the briefing of Frank Plum. Being a cop as well as a trusted relative, he would be a huge bonus for us in gaining his cooperation and trust. Bobby was right when he thought having him there would be a good idea. As we weren't sure how Steph's father would react, Gazarra would help to buffer any hostilities should they arise. He'd had an active role in the investigation almost from the beginning, which would also help to reassure Frank Plum of the authenticity of the material we would be showing him. Much of the information had been scrutinized by him before it was added to the file, so he had a clear picture of the bomb we were about to drop on the head of the Plum household. I know he detested the part he was required to play in order to allow us to gather the evidence we had, but he didn't bat an eye. He loved Steph that much. Something we had in common.

I pulled my cell phone from my belt and opened it, hitting the speed dial button for Rangeman. When Hal answered, I told him to start the ball rolling, as I was coming into the city limits. I pressed the end button, then dialed another number from memory and waited for an answer. He picked up immediately, barely giving the phone time to ring.

"Gazarra." His voice sounded resigned, like he wasn't looking forward to my phone call. I couldn't blame him; I really didn't want to be making it.

"Bobby tell you the change in plans?" I asked, not bothering with pleasantries. I don't think he expected them either.

"Yeah, Ranger. I'm good to go. You still got men on Morelli?" His voice sounded a little tight, and I hastened to assure him that we were clear to meet. I'd get a call from Woody or Vince if there was reason to believe the cop wasn't exactly where we needed him to be. I wasn't willing to risk any more lives on stupid mistakes. Besides, this man was too important to my Babe to let the cop get wind of his involvement in our investigation. She would be losing enough friends before this was over.

"We're set. I've got two of my best men watching him. Any inkling of Morelli stepping foot outside his house and I'll get a call. We can abort if anything leads us to believe he might be suspicious. You have any suggestions where we should meet at?" I asked. I had hoped we could set it up to meet in Newark, far from the prying eyes of the 'burg, but since Gazarra knew Frank Plum better, I'd rely on his judgment.

"Might be best if we met out of town. Morelli has CI's all over the city, and word would get back to him before we finished greeting each other if one of them sees us together." Gazarra was throwing the ball back in my court, which made me relax a little. He was a good team player, which was why I was glad we'd approached him for this.

"Think Frank would mind a ride to Newark?" I waited for his reply. If he resisted, I'd have to go to my backup plan, which was a safe house I had in the suburbs of Hamilton Township. Not ideal, but unless he had a better suggestion, it was our safest alternative.

"Shouldn't be a problem. I'll head over to the cab service and meet him when he gets there. I'll call you when we're on our way. You close by?" I heard relief in his voice as he answered my question, which told me this had been weighing heavily on his mind. Hang in there, buddy. The hard part is just beginning.

"I'm heading to Rangeman to check in and see if there's anything else he needs to see. I'll be on my way in 10 to scout a location, will call you with an address. That work?" I asked.

"Sounds good. I should be at the garage by that time, and depending on when you called it in, Frank will be there shortly after. It's not far from their house; only about 10 minutes or so, depending on traffic, so we'll be close behind you."

I hit the end button on my phone and dialed another number as I pulled into the Rangeman garage and started up the stairs. When it picked up, I heard surprise in his voice.

"Ric? That you?" I grinned at his tone, then focused on the reason for my call as I made my way to the control room.

"Yeah Marcus. I need a favor. You home?" I hadn't intended to involve my brother in this, but I needed someone I could trust to pick a secure location for us, and I trusted him with my life. He knew Newark even better than I did, since he'd stayed with my parents and sisters after I'd been sent to Abuela in Miami all those years ago. His job as an FBI agent would be another bonus as soon as he was updated. He would still have contacts in the area that could warn us if Morelli's arm reached that far.

"Actually I'm here in Newark. I just stopped by Celia's to visit with Jason. What's up?" I hoped Ram had gotten some shuteye before Marcus blew in. My brother loved to bullshit, which meant he'd keep Ram up for the next four or five hours at least. An idea started to gel in my brain. Maybe having the meeting with Frank Plum at their house, with Marcus sitting in, would not only give me the perfect opportunity to explain to him what we were up against, but we could involve him in the investigation and give Ram a chance to catch up on some badly needed sleep. Celia would have my head otherwise.

"I'll have Jason explain. Can you put him on the phone?" Ram knew as much about this case as anybody, so he could be briefing Marcus while we were on our way. And, since Marcus wasn't known locally, he wouldn't be immediately connected to Rangeman, which would give us an unknown to shadow the cop or contact possible witnesses without raising Morelli's suspicions. At least until he was locked up.

"Yeah Ric?" Ram asked, sounding a little groggy, like he's just woken up. Marcus couldn't have been there too long.

"Ram. Feel up to hosting a party?" I asked, possible scenarios of the meeting flashing through my mind. I knew just by using his work pseudonym he would realize this wasn't a social call, and he'd be back in Rangeman mode instantly. One of the reasons for the change of name. It also served to protect our families when our real names weren't bandied about. Until recently that hadn't been a problem for me; no one could connect my sister with me, nor Ram as my brother-in-law, but it would soon put my Babe in serious danger with my enemies now that I'd decided to claim her. That is, if I even had a chance given last night's events.

"I'll put some coffee on. How far are you out?" he asked. Yup, Rangeman mode. One of the reasons I'd not hesitated in adding him to my core team as soon as he'd joined the company shortly after I'd started it. His relationship to me had no bearing on that move, since I'd known him well before he married Celia. It didn't hurt that he was as protective of our family as I was, either. And he considered Steph part of our family.

"Give me thirty and brief Marcus. He can look at the file before our guests arrive. Gazarra will be bringing Mr. Plum, and staying for support. You get any sleep yet?" I asked, knowing my sister had left early for my mother's house with the kids and wouldn't be too thrilled to find out Marcus and I would be delaying his sleep time. She'd already called and lectured me about working her husband so much she and the kids never got to see him anymore, so this little soiree we were planning wouldn't sit too well with her when she found out. And she _would_ find out, of that I had no doubt. She would also find out just how important Stephanie Plum had become to me personally, and the years of keeping my family out of my private life would be over. Not particularly how I wanted to announce our relationship, _if we even had one now,_ but that couldn't be helped.

"About five minutes, I think. He must've waited for Celia to leave before he damn near pounded the door down. I'll crash for a couple of hours as soon as we're done, unless you needed something?" he asked. I had to hand it to him; his dedication to making this case as solid and airtight as possible was right up there with mine and the rest of the core team. I may have known Tank, Lester, Bobby and Hal a lot longer, but I trusted him with My Babe's life no less than I did with mine. So, in the interests of keeping peace in the family, a friend as a friend, and one of my best men from burning out, I made a decision. He probably wouldn't like it, but I'd rather deal with his wrath than Celia's. My sister would have made one hell of a Rangeman employee!

"No, we're good. Hal's back up, and Tank should be back online in the next couple of hours. Your turn for some down time. Besides, Celia's about ready to take my head off, which means she'll have Mama on my case as well. I'd rather just have to watch my back with the cop if you don't mind. There any _Rellenas_ left over from Mama's? I could use a bite to eat." I asked. Mama made the best _Papas Rellenas_ I'd ever tasted, and the thought of those tasty potato snacks she usually cooked up for family gatherings was making my stomach growl. I realized I hadn't had anything except coffee since before taking Steph to my house, and as I didn't anticipate stopping more than a couple minutes before heading out again, I wouldn't even have time to hit up Aunt Ella for some _Pastelitos_. When she made them, they were stuffed with guava, and probably the only other dessert I'd eat besides Flan. Maybe I could get her to make up a bunch to take with me when I headed back home with Mari and Mia later this afternoon. Steph would love those…

"Yeah, I think so." Ram answered. "Cel brought a whole batch home last night, but I was too tired to eat any this morning when I got home. They ate dinner over there, so I think we've got the whole plate to ourselves. I'll wait 'til you get here though, or Marcus will have 'em gone before you're even halfway here." That comment made me chuckle. Marcus would definitely eat the whole batch if he could get away with it.

"Okay, see you in forty-five." I snapped my phone shut and stepped onto the control floor, scanning the room to reassure myself all was running smoothly. I looked over at the monitoring desk, noting who was on duty. Slick, Eddie and Erik were busily scanning the banks of monitors while Cal was working the com line. We'd expanded so much in the past six months that the communications line had become a full-time singular position, and the monitors required four men at all times. I looked up at the duty board and saw that Roy was also scheduled, yet he was nowhere in sight. Before I could question his absence I heard the bathroom door close behind me and Roy came walking by, murmuring a quiet "Sir" before taking his seat in next to Eddie. I nodded and walked down the hall to my office, where I would find detailed updated reports for everything from office expenditures to Steph's case. In other words, paperwork. The part of the job I hated the most.

I checked my desk for messages and notices, but nothing was urgent, and none of them concerned our priority case. Everything here could wait a few days, and if their status was updated, it could be handled by Tank or Hal. They would be running the day-to-day business in my absence, even though I would be in constant contact by phone as well as dropping by sporadically or as needed.

I left my office and headed towards the elevator, stepping inside when the doors opened and clicking my key fob that would allow access to my seventh floor apartment. It was only a matter of a few seconds before the doors opened again, only this time I was across the hall from the door to my apartment. I walked over to the door and keyed myself in, setting my keys in the dish that was sitting on the credenza in the entry way. I went directly to my bedroom and then the bathroom, zeroing in on the cabinet underneath the sink where I removed a basket of toiletries and sundries Aunt Ella had stocked for Steph. Maybe, just maybe, having the hair and makeup products she usually used would help give her a sense of normalcy, and bring back that fire that was missing. That _I _was missing.

She didn't need them physically. No, My Babe had more natural beauty than any woman I've ever met, both inside _and_ out, but emotionally, that was a different story. She used the makeup to bolster her confidence, to calm the insecurities that the 'Burg had festered in her from the moment she was born. They made her feel like she belonged somewhere, that she was part of something, even though it was a place she'd been trying to break free from for the majority of her adult life. She didn't know I knew this, and I had a strong suspicion it was something she didn't even realize about herself. She was so unaware of her true value; to me, my men, to her family and friends. It was something that I vowed to change, and soon, if she'd let me.

I placed the basket in a large bag and retrieved my keys from the dish, let myself out and walked straight into the elevator, where the doors had remained open. I pushed the button that would take me directly to the garage, my mind drifting to the upcoming meeting with Frank Plum. There was something about the man I just couldn't put my finger on…something that told me he could be extremely dangerous when provoked…

I sighed. Out of respect for Stephanie, I hadn't run him through our search engines too deeply, but now I wished I had. Apart from the basic information I had acquired at the beginning of our 'association', the only thing I knew about her family, and her father in particular, was what the man himself allowed to be known. I didn't feel like he would ever harm someone who didn't deserve it, but some of the players in this game were far from innocent. Me included.

When the elevator doors opened into the garage that housed all the Rangeman vehicles, a thought suddenly seemed to separate itself from my musings. '_What the man himself allowed to be known.' _Well I'll be damned! I felt a grin spread across my face as the meaning of that thought became clear. Frank Plum was by far a different man from what he portrayed to the rest of the world, just as I was. It was no wonder I had instinctively treated the man with a deference usually reserved for men who inspired my utmost loyalty and admiration, with a healthy dose of caution thrown in. I had a feeling that the reasons for this deception would become crystal clear in the next hour. When the man I now believed him to be would emerge from the layers of the man that My Babe had been raised with and loved, and would always be to those who simply saw him as Mr. Plum.

I beeped open the Cayenne and slipped into the driver's seat, setting the bag of Steph's 'necessities' on the seat next to me. I started the SUV, backed out, and as I pulled out onto Haywood, flipped open my phone and dialed Eddie Gazarra. Depending upon the need to take a more circuitous route by either of us, I should arrive at Celia's a good ten minutes before them. Ram and Marcus would need to know my suspicions about Frank Plum before we started to brief the man in the event things didn't go the way we anticipated and act accordingly. They would also look for signs that the man was what our training and instincts knew to look for. If that was the case, he would, more than likely turn out to be our biggest asset to bring Morelli down, and bring him down hard.

"Gazarra." He sounded a lot more enthusiastic then when I had spoken with him earlier, but that could be from any number of reasons. His present company would be my number one guess.

"How much have you been able to tell him?" I asked. It would save us repeating ourselves if we knew how much he had told Mr. Plum already. I hated wasting time repeating information when there's no need for it, and I had a feeling we were going to need all the time we could get.

He seemed to hesitate, then I realized he was walking away from whoever he'd been standing with for a little privacy. My best guess it wasn't Frank Plum he'd been standing with, or he would have answered promptly.

"Just that we had a good idea who had been stalking Steph, and that we'd accumulated a sizable amount of evidence that would put him in jail for a long time." Eddie began, then added quietly, "I didn't let on who 'we' were, just that I was part of the investigation. I think that part can be saved for the meeting. You get us a location?" he asked.

"257 Governor Street. Just north of Lincoln Park. You need directions?" I asked. I'd be willing to bet he didn't, but that was just an educated guess. He _is_ a cop, after all. He knew his surroundings.

"Naw, I'm good. My cousin used to live in the area. I'll find it. You on your way?" he asked, his voice returning to it's normal conversational tone. It sounded like he was moving again, so I answered an affirmative and clicked my phone shut.

I needed to put in an appearance at the bonds office. I'd pick up any files waiting for me in order to throw off anyone watching, although I hadn't detected any tails. That's not to say there weren't eyes observing my coming and going from Rangeman. If anyone was watching, they'd see me going about my usual business, although I always varied the order in which I did things. An observer would see me exiting the bonds office with files and assume I was on my way to collect skips. That was the plan, anyway.

I pulled up in front of Vincent Plum Bail Bonds, where everything was still locked up. Connie wasn't due to open for another thirty minutes, but it wasn't unusual for me to stop by and pick up files before she arrived. As a matter of fact, before I met Stephanie Plum, early morning or late night pickups of FTA files had been my typical method of retrieval of my skips information. I had changed my routine to coincide with Steph's visits to the office ever since that night she'd called me to get her out of a pair of handcuffs. _She'd _changed my life drastically and irrevocably from then on.

I keyed open the lock of the bonds office and slipped inside, spying two stacks of files on Connie's desk labeled with mine and Steph's names. I grabbed them both, relocking the door and sliding back into the driver's seat of the Cayenne. I was on my way in seconds, the stop taking a mere couple of minutes. All necessary to maintain the deception in the face of prying eyes.

It was time to head to Newark. And to the hardest meeting I've ever had to attend.

tbc


	14. Chapter 14 Ram's POV

Disclaimer: See previous chapters. I know I said Frank's POV was next, but Ram insisted, and I try not to argue with the Merry Men. I have enough laundry to do!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off**** – **pt 14

Ram's POV

I WOKE UP TO a tremendous pounding on the front door and instantly went into alert mode. I shoved myself into my cargos and grabbed my gun and cell phone. It there was an emergency with Cels or the kids, or something on the case with Steph, I'd at least have the basics to deal with it.

I raced to the front door and cocked my gun, holding it ready just in case I'd need to use it in a hurry. After checking through a crack in the blinds, I breathed out a sigh of relief and tucked my gun into the back of my cargos before throwing the locks and opening the door.

Damn! I hadn't seen Marcus in forever, and here he shows up just when the case finally gets to the point I can take a break and get a decent amount of sleep. Celia was gonna have a fit. Just before leaving this morning with the kids she made me promise to get some sleep, and not the catnaps I'd been making do with.

"Hey there Marcus. Long time, no see! Come on in." I held open the door wide and stood back as Marcus came through the doorway, grabbing my hand and wrist in a greeting that was typical of the men in the Manoso family, then engulfed me in a manly hug.

"Jason, bro. How the hell are ya? Had breakfast yet? I could use some coffee and a bite to eat." Leave it to Marcus to think about food first thing. I chuckled, thinking he was so much like Bombshell it was scary. The man was a human garbage disposal; he'd eat anything and everything as long as it wasn't too healthy. Totally the opposite of his brother.

"Actually I just got to sleep" I turned my wrist to check my watch "about five minutes ago. You just missed Celia and the kids." I narrowed my eyes when I noticed the grin on his face. "You saw them leave, didn't you?" I asked suspiciously. The smirk he was wearing confirmed my suspicions, and I sighed. I was a dead man, I just knew it.

"You might as well come into the kitchen. I'll see if Celia left something I can feed you. I'm guessing you just got in. How long you staying?" I asked, running my hands over my face to wipe the sleepiness away. It was gonna be a long morning.

"Actually I'm on an unscheduled vacation. Mama called to see if I could get Ric to take some time off. Apparently he's got some big case he's been practically killing himself on, and she's worried. She said she hasn't seen him in weeks, and he doesn't answer his phone. You wouldn't happen to know anything about it, would you?" He was smirking again. He knew damn well I'd know what Ric was working on, and chances were pretty good I was working the same case. He was just being nosy.

I was just about to tell him he was worse than his sisters when his phone rang and he held up a hand to delay what he must've known would be a smart-ass comment. It was Ric, and when he passed me the phone and Ric asked about having the meeting with Bombshell's father here, I knew then and there that even if I managed to get Marcus to leave so I could get some sleep, it was still going to be a long time before my bed and I got friendly again. Celia was going to throw a fit, but I wouldn't have it any other way. When she found out this was about Bombshell though, and she _would_ find out, she'd probably want to cut the cop's nuts off herself. She was very protective of her baby brother and his happiness.

Bombshell was the spitting image of my little sister Jennifer, who was in California at college. Aside from the fact that she was the woman who'd stolen Ric's heart, she was also part of our Rangeman family, and there was no way in hell we wouldn't have her back on this. Any one of these reasons alone were enough for me, but taken altogether, a snowball in hell had a better chance of survival than even the mere thought of not giving this my best. The Manoso's and Rangemen protect their own.

I hung up after assuring Ric I'd have coffee and something to eat when he got here, and tossed the phone back to Marcus. He looked at me with a brow raised in question, so I indicated he should meet me in the kitchen while I went upstairs to retrieve a copy of the file. It was a working copy, which meant all the fine details hadn't been included, such as witness locations and CI identities. Photocopies of the depositions and police reports were included, however, as well as the surveillance photos and logs we'd done on Morelli and his side piece. All in all still a damning pile of information, and it would serve to clue Marcus in on just what we were dealing with.

I walked back into the kitchen to see Marcus raiding the refrigerator, and had to grab the container of _Papas Rellenas _ away from him that Celia had brought home last night from my mother-in-law's. We wouldn't even get a sniff of them if he got to them first!

"Hey, that's my breakfast!" he exclaimed before attempting to filch them back from me. I grinned and held them behind my back with one hand and used the other to slap the file against his chest, surprise registering on his face as he looked down at the thick file I had smacked him with. It stopped him from trying to make another grab at the _Rellenas_, which brought a sigh of relief from me. I was too damn tired to fight him for them right now.

"What's this?" he asked, as he started to flip through the pages. I could see he was skimming the summaries, which every page had in detail at the bottom. I saw a frown cross his face as I turned towards the counter to get started on the coffee.

"Our big case. Have a seat and start reading. Ric should be here in just over half an hour, and he wants you briefed. I'll get coffee and breakfast started while you're catching up." I pulled open the refrigerator and replaced the container I'd rescued from Marcus, then took out eggs, peppers, cheese and some tomatoes, along with a tub of butter and a gallon of fresh orange juice, setting them on the counter that made up the working end of the breakfast bar that took up most of the kitchen space.

After I got the coffee going, I pulled an omelet pan down from the rack that was suspended above me and set it on the stove, turning on the heat and setting the flame to low. I started chopping up vegetables and grating cheese, glancing occasionally at Marcus as I worked. I began cracking eggs into a bowl, whipping them together when I had enough for the first omelet. Just as I was getting ready to pour the mixture into the pan, Marcus lifted his gaze and spoke, his voice slightly irritated.

"Is this the Bombshell Bounty hunter? The one you guys all give Ric shit about?" he asked, his voice laced with confusion along with the irritation. I nodded, pouring the egg into the hot pan and started to add the vegetables.

"And why is Rangeman is in the middle of this? Is he more involved with her than you guys have let on?" He was starting to sound suspicious, so I stalled, adjusting the heat and throwing in some ham that Celia had diced up before she left this morning. I wasn't comfortable spilling Ric's secrets, even if it was family. I shrugged, then looked up at him, staring him straight in the eye.

"You'll have to ask Ric when he gets here, bro. Not my place to tell company secrets." I smirked as he blew out a frustrated breath. He knew he wouldn't get more than that from me.

"Fucker." he muttered as he went back to reading. I grinned.

I dropped some bread into the toaster, then poured two glasses of orange juice, setting one in front of him as I chugged my own. The coffee was done, so I took a couple of mugs out of the cupboard and poured us each a generous amount, sliding the cream and sugar in front of him as I took a sip from mine. I was probably going to need a lot more to get me through our pow-wow, and I'm pretty sure Ric would need at least a pot as well. We'd all been running on pure adrenalin for the past couple of days, along with copious amounts of the hot brew, and even Tank had jokingly suggested we should've bought shares in Maxwell House.

The toast popped up, so I slathered them with butter and placed them on two plates I'd taken out of the cupboard, cutting the omelet in two and sliding half onto each plate. I set one in front of Marcus along with a fork, then sat down to dig in to mine. I noticed as I ate that Marcus didn't seem to realize there was food in front of him, he was so engrossed in the file. Even though it really didn't surprise me on one level, on another it was totally out of character. Food was always a priority with my brother-in-law, so this had to be a first.

Evidently the summaries weren't good enough anymore, because he'd gone back to the beginning and began to read each page word for word. His face started to show signs of a slow anger that began to build the longer he read, and the famous Manoso blank face was history. It said something about the intensity of his feelings that he no longer even tried to hide the disgust and rage he was feeling. I could identify with that, though, as could the rest of the guys. We just had longer to get used to it. Marcus was getting the full story all at once.

I finished up my breakfast, getting up to rinse my plate and refill my coffee. Ric should be arriving any time now, and if I knew him as well as I thought, he probably hadn't eaten since sometime yesterday. I guess it was the big brother in me that wanted to make sure he ate something, and I began to assemble the ingredients for another omelet, omitting the ham this time. Well, that and Celia would throw a fit if I didn't feed him. She may be pissed that we were working instead of sleeping, but not eating would piss her off even more. My wife had her priorities.

I started the omelet cooking, knowing that Ric would probably be earlier than he'd estimated. He always gave himself more time in case of hang-ups, and it was already nearing his estimated ETA. I had just pulled out another mug and was filling it with coffee when I heard the front door open, heralding his arrival. I set the coffee down at an empty stool and looked up as he came through the doorway, exhaustion causing his posture to slump a little.

Marcus looked up then, suddenly realizing there was food in front of him growing cold, and with a sheepish grin began eating. Ric sat down heavily in front of his coffee, letting out a sigh as he took a tentative sip then setting it back on the counter. I withdrew another plate from the cupboard and filled it with his finished breakfast, adding unbuttered toast as it popped out of the toaster and setting it in front of Ric along with a fork. He gave a murmur of thanks as he began eating, chewing slowly. He swallowed, then lifted his gaze to his brother, quirking an eyebrow.

"He's been concentrating so hard on the file, he didn't even see me put the plate in front of him." I grinned as I answered his unspoken question. He grunted, lost in thought as he methodically ate his way through the plate. I pulled out the _pièce de résistance_, Mama Manoso's _Papas Rellenas, _warming them a few seconds in the microwave before placing a couple on each of their plates. I set the remainder of them on the table in front of us, sitting down on the stool at the end and grabbing one to munch on as the guys finished their breakfasts. We were quiet as we polished off most of the _Rellenas_, savoring the quiet and the good food.

Finally replete, Ric leaned back and eyed Marcus, sipping his coffee as he waited for him to begin. He didn't have to wait long.

"So I'm assuming you're asking for my involvement." Marcus started. He quirked an eyebrow in the same questioning gesture as Ric had earlier as he continued. "As a brother, or as an FBI agent?" He sat back, folding his arms across his chest as he waited for an answer. I watched his face as Ric carefully considered his reply.

"Primarily, as my brother. Up to you if want to give your bosses the heads up that the Mob is indirectly involved in this. From what we've been able to determine, it looks like he _could've_ had some support from the Grizolli family, since he's been banging Vito's daughter for the past three years, and they had a prior relationship all through high school." He shrugged his shoulders. "Your call."

Marcus leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table as he looked Ric straight in the eye. Here it comes, I thought.

"What's your stake in this, Ric? This isn't just about an employee in trouble, is it?" His eyes bored into Ric's, watching his face for any change of expression. He was in interrogator mode now, and it amused me to see them go head to head like this. My money would normally be on Ric winning this one, except this was about the Bombshell. Normalcy didn't apply anymore.

Ric had more practice at this shit, even though this was exactly what made Marcus such a valued agent at the Bureau. That fact that Ric could read a face better than anyone we'd ever met, including his brother, as well as his skill at extracting information from even the most difficult subject had made him highly sought after by all of the alphabet agencies. Marcus was constantly trying to achieve that status, and loved to test himself whenever he could.

"She's part of the Rangeman family, Marc. I've been her mentor from the start, encouraging her to hone her skills and keep doing this job. She's good at the mental aspect; I've never seen a more intuitive person in my life, and you know I've worked with the best. Her job may be the excuse the cop uses, but there's more to it. He's trying to control _every_ aspect of her existence, including her friends, her day to day movements, her _life_. He's got her mother convinced that every choice she makes is wrong unless it's what he wants. He's gotten increasingly more dangerous in his methods, and yesterday he almost had her killed to make his point. I won't let that happen again." Ric finished vehemently.

I don't think he realized it, but his impassioned speech gave away more than just his admiration for the feisty bounty hunter we'd all adopted as a sister. His feelings for her were hardly brotherly, and I could see that Marcus had finally caught on to this. Dumb bastard. Celia figured it out weeks ago, and she's had less to go with. Of course, my wife was extremely 'focused' on Ric's private life, whereas Marcus was more concerned with his own. She was the oldest, so she'd say she was only interested in his happiness, but I knew there was more to it than that. My wife was nosy.

Fortunately we'd been so busy the last few weeks that she'd been unable to get Ric on the phone, so he's had a bit of a reprieve from her inquisitions. As soon as the family got wind of this, though, he'd be inundated with phone calls and visits from every female in the family, including Mama Manoso.

I mentally groaned at that thought. Celia would find out how long I've been aware of Ric's feelings for Bombshell, and then she'd let me have it, right after she lectured Ric about keeping secrets from the family. That made me almost laugh out loud. Ric and secrets went hand in hand, and she isn't the only one he kept out of the loop. It wouldn't help that I wasn't one of them.

Marcus leaned back in his chair and grinned knowingly at Ric, his smile widening as he observed his brother's growing realization of how much he'd given away with that little speech. Ric's groan of consternation confirmed what Marcus had already figured out, and I knew he was going to milk that knowledge for all it was worth at the next family get together. Whether as blackmail, or watching from the sidelines as he was grilled by his Mama and sisters, Ric was toast, and he knew it.

He groaned, which caused Marcus to chuckle. He was gonna have to suck it up and deal, because Marcus wouldn't back down unless Ric had something better on him, and right at this moment, I didn't have much hope that he would. He'd been more focused on this case than I've ever seen him, and since he knew Hal, with Tank's help had things well in hand with the rest of the business, he hadn't allowed much to interfere with that focus.

He rubbed his face with both hands as if to wipe away the weariness and frustration he was feeling and sat back again, glancing at me before pinning Marcus with his gaze. He crooked an eyebrow and waited for Marcus to comment.

"Yeah, okay, count me in. What do you want me to do?" he asked as he sighed.

Ric shot me a look before turning back to Marcus. "When Frank Plum gets here and reads that file, watch him closely. I think there's more to the man than he's let on, so I want both of you to see if you pick up on anything abnormal or out of place. We may have an ally we hadn't counted on, and it could change how we go about the rest of this investigation." He sat back to watch the effect his request had.

For some reason, this take on the Bombshell's father didn't surprise me much. Other than Ric, Hector and I spent the most time with her when she needed a bodyguard, and since Morelli and her had been 'off' for the past couple of months, we'd been spending a lot more time with her lately. This included family dinners at her parents house, where we spent considerable time in Frank Plum's company. Even though he seldom spoke, if you didn't include his mumblings about his mother-in-law, you could tell he was always watching, always assessing. Not behavior normally associated with most men. Other than 'special' men, that is.

A look of alarm crossed Marcus's face and he shot forward in his seat, first glancing at Ric, then me and then back to Ric. He obviously didn't like the idea we could have an unknown who might or might not be dangerous. I wasn't too concerned. He'd find out the minute he met the man, if he was what Ric thought. I think he was.

"You mean you never had him checked out?" Marcus asked. He was disconcerted, to say the least. I think he was also a bit surprised. Ric _never_ failed to have someone researched, especially when he got involved with someone, however indirectly. He was too security conscious not to know who he was dealing with.

I grinned, then looked at Ric. We had a silent conversation, ignoring Marcus as he ranted about all the variables we could be dealing with from an unknown. We'd heard it all before. Several times, in fact, so we wouldn't be missing anything earth-shattering when we tuned him out. It was always the same when we included him in some of our less-than-orthodox investigations.

Our 'conversation' was cut short by the sound of a car pulling up out front, which was my cue to greet and show in our guests. He would feel more comfortable if someone he was familiar with met him at the door, as well the fact that it might look odd to a casually observing neighbor if someone other than myself answered the door. It was _my_ house, after all.

"Try not to make him uncomfortable, Marcus. I don't think any of us would fare well." I heard Ric say dryly as I left the kitchen to get the door. I snickered before clearing my face, blank mask in place.

Showtime!

tbc


	15. Chapter 15 Frank's POV

Disclaimer: Please see previous chapters. One thing I'd like you to keep in mind. This is Fan Fiction, NOT canon, so some of the characters might be a little OOC at times. Remember, it's just a story! As usual, big hugs and thanks to BB for putting up with my neurosis, and Kym for being such a supportive friend when RL was a bitch! A huge thanks to everyone who sent me their prayers for my daughter. This one's for you, ladies!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off**** – **pt 15

Frank Plum's POV

I WAS SURPRISED WHEN I saw my nephew–by–marriage waiting for me at the cab station. I didn't normally see him except at random family gatherings, or when he stopped by the house when Steph's life had 'complications'. As I hadn't heard of any explosions or stalkers lately, other than the incident at her apartment yesterday, I was given the impression that all her latest problems had been cleared up. I was assured by the police that _that_ assailant had been caught, so this visit was definitely out of the ordinary. I shook his hand in greeting and waited for him to explain what the occasion was.

"Hi Uncle Frank!" he said cheerfully. Lowering his tone to a more conspiritory level he began. "I hate to put a damper on your mood, Frank, but we've got a line on who's been causing Steph so many problems." He stopped and cleared his throat, then continued. "Seems all her latest mishaps have been orchestrated by one man, and there's quite a bit of exculpatory evidence to support it."

I eyed him thoughtfully. Eddie has always been a cheerful guy, so the greeting was normal for the most part. It was his tone in what followed, as much as the words themselves, that caused long buried instincts to surface. The thought that my little girl was _still_ in danger was difficult to comprehend, given most of the people she associated with. They made sure she was safe.

I frowned. According to Joe Morelli, her recent troubles had been caused by various FTA's, and all the incidents had been investigated and closed. Apparently there was a lot more here than he'd let on, and Eddie seemed to have access to some differing information that he felt it necessary that I should be made aware of.

Usually when it came to local matters, I chose, with an unacknowledged courtesy, to leave it to the police to deal with issues surrounding us. She was, until recently, dating a detective with said police and I trusted him and his fellow officers to do their job. After all, most of them had known Steph since she was a baby, looking after her like a little sister. Evidently I'd misplaced that trust if I was reading Eddie's expression correctly. It wouldn't be his fault, I knew, although he obviously considered himself partially responsible. He worked with these men and women. I also knew he didn't have enough pull to make much of a difference, other than keep an eye out and be there for her. There were others I'd hang that hat on.

"You want to expand on that, Eddie?" I asked quietly.

"I've been working with a team to investigate some rumors that have been circulating on the street. They link several of Stephanie's FTA troubles together with someone who's been coordinating the attacks, including the one yesterday at her apartment complex." He sighed. "We think it's time you saw the evidence now that we have enough to indict, and better yet, prove." He spoke with unusual gravity, and my gut tightened as I recalled the past few weeks. My wife _had_ been tippling constantly, and ironing everything she could lay her hands on, which was her usual M.O. when it came to my youngest daughter. It just happened more frequently as of late. Her only response when I commented had been "Stephanie".

Instincts I'd kept buried for over thirty five years came glaringly to life. Those instincts had been put to the test so many times, and had on several occasions made the difference between life and death for my men as well as myself. Now it would seem I would need to rely on them again to help keep my baby safe.

Much like a movie, even the sounds and smells were vividly recalled as I saw that last mission in my mind.

_Our primary objective at the beginning of this clusterfuck was to rid the area of the opium traffickers who had been threatening, terrorizing, and often kidnapping people for slave labor in the villages that were scattered throughout the region. Achieving our objective would close down a major supplier of the drug that had been steadily inundating the eastern coast of the United States for several months now. _

_Just thirty-six hours previously we'd been ambushed, and four of our men had been taken prisoner by the enemy. Two others had acquired fatal wounds, and we'd secured their bodies for later retrieval. Rangers never leave anyone behind._

_We'd finally located and infiltrated the enemy camp nestled in the rocks and brush. Snippets of intel, coupled with a nagging sense of direction that had a tendency to be right more times than wrong had led us to this almost invisible pocket. This particular group of drug traffickers had holed up with the four of my men captured during the ambush that occurred several klicks south of our current position. Rescuing our men was now the primary target for my remaining men, the original mission becoming secondary._

_We moved silently through the camp, executing any unfriendly we ran into as quietly as possible. Within a short time, we had located and released several live captives, several civilians as well as three of them my men who had been savagely beaten and left tied up inside a ramshackle hut. With heavy hearts we'd secured the body of my fourth man they had already tortured and killed before we could arrive. We would be bringing him home to his family for a private burial, since our mission had been classified. _

_We eventually burned the camp to the ground, leaving nothing but charred remains and smoldering ruins before we regrouped and proceeded to make our way back to the extraction point. We stopped to retrieve the bodies of the two other men that had died in the ambush, carrying them on makeshift stretchers fashioned from sticks and their now useless packs._

_The chopper was waiting for us as we entered the clearing where we'd pre-arranged the pickup, and we all climbed aboard to head home, grieving, tired and disheartened. _

_We had completed our mission, but it had cost us dearly. _

I was brought back to the present by the ringing of Eddie's cell phone. He walked a short distance away, speaking quietly into the phone. I noticed that a couple of my fellow cabbies had joined us, drinking coffee and looking curiously at my nephew. Very seldom did any one of us have visitors here, and I never had before today. The fact that he was a cop wasn't lost on my fellow drivers, since they'd lived most of their lives in the 'burg and had known him from the day he was born. His whole demeanor told everyone he was there in an official capacity, even though he had changed into street clothes.

Eddie finished his call, walking back to us as he closed his phone. I seldom asked questions when it seemed to be police business, but he'd pricked my curiosity, as well as reawakening the man inside that I'd kept dormant for many years. It would seem it was time to reactivate those old instincts that warned and dealt with threats with extreme prejudice, if what he'd said earlier was to be taken seriously. As it involved my little girl, then there wasn't a better time than now, and the look on his face confirmed that.

"How about we take a ride, Uncle Frank?" he asked, already moving towards his car parked next to the bay doors where the various taxis entered and exited during the shift change. I turned to my fellow cabbies, keeping my face devoid of expression.

"Not sure when I'll be back, guys. Keep my spot warm." They nodded and I followed Eddie out to his car, seating myself in the passenger seat and buckling up as he turned the engine over. He gave me a look of reassurance as he pulled out and headed for the interstate, piquing my curiosity further as he turned towards Newark. Where were we going?

He must've seen the question on my face, because he began explaining where he was taking us and why the caution.

"We thought it best to convene outside of Trenton and prying eyes. This is extremely sensitive, Frank. Unfortunately it concerns a very well-connected person here in the 'burg, and dangerous to all concerned if he gets wind of our investigation. It's going to be hard to get a handle on, but the evidence we've gathered is solid, and more believable when the entire picture is viewed. I don't feel comfortable mentioning any names until you've seen the file. Only then will you understand why we've kept it under wraps and waited to brief you. We needed to verify all the facts to make sure we had all the necessary information available and correctly assembled." He stopped speaking, waiting for whatever comment I had coming.

It occurred to me as he was speaking that this was no ordinary investigation. It sounded more like it was being handled with military precision, and my nephew was no soldier. Since very few of the TPD had served in the armed forces, it made me curious as to who was heading the investigation, and who comprised the 'we'.

"Who's leading this investigation, Eddie? Who is the 'we' you keep referring to?" I asked. There was an awful lot he hadn't said, and I had a feeling I wasn't going to like where this was leading, especially if this investigation was lead by a certain detective. He should have informed me in the beginning. Particularly as it involves my daughter.

He cleared his throat nervously; it didn't take a genius to figure out that he was uncomfortable with my questions. He glanced at my face, then turned his attention back to the road. I kept my expression impassive, even as he began speaking.

"You've heard of Rangeman, right? Steph worked for them a few months ago when Con Stiva was stalking her?" he began. I breathed a silent sigh of relief and nodded, thinking back a couple of years. Stephanie had just gotten the job with my nephew Vinnie at his bail bonds office, and had brought 'Ranger' to dinner, introducing him as a friend who was helping her learn the Bond Enforcement business. I recalled she had told us he owned a security business called Rangeman and was doing skip-tracing on the side. One look at his face told me that this man could be very dangerous, so I'd quietly had him checked out, wanting to know more about this man who my daughter was associating with.

I'd learned that 'Ranger', Ricardo Carlos Manoso, was a former Army Ranger until he had started his security business, and that his status was listed as active. He and several of his men were still periodically working in an undercover capacity for the government's Black Ops division, a branch I was very familiar with. He'd been known as Strider in his earlier days, with an impressive track record for ferreting out information and completing his missions with minimal damage to innocents. He was in equal parts both feared and admired, and his involvement with the government's elite had eased my mind somewhat.

One of the prerequisites to be considered for these missions was an intensive intelligence and psychological evaluation, as well as regular testing at random intervals to determine fitness for duty. Manoso was known as the best of the best; his ethics were rarely questioned, so I felt I couldn't ask for a better man to watch over my baby. His position as self-appointed advisor and protector was the main reason I'd never interfered in my daughter's job or even the myriad of dangerous situations she found herself in, much to my wife's and Joe Morelli's consternation. He could keep her safer than anyone, the police included. My thoughts were interrupted as Eddie continued.

"Ricardo Manoso, who you know as Ranger, has been coordinating our team which consists mostly of his core team, myself as liaison to the District Attorney, and some carefully selected confidential informants. We haven't wanted to take any chances on any of this leaking out to the public, and especially to the target, so we've involved as few people as possible. They needed a police officer for reasons that will become clearer when you review the file we've constructed, and I was the obvious choice. I'm in the unique position of being related to Steph, so they could be assured of my complete loyalty and cooperation to get the honest truth, and finally no one would think it odd if I were to inquire about certain facts in regards to the attacks." He blew out a breath, then glanced at me again.

I could tell he was wondering what I was thinking about what he'd told me so far, and whether I was upset with not only the information he'd disclosed so far, but also that I'd not been informed of the investigation in the beginning. To tell the truth, I was a little put out that I hadn't been included from the start, but I could see the sense of it if the person who was the focus of the investigation was someone close to our family. I had a feeling I now knew who this person was, but refrained from commenting. My suspicions would either be confirmed or denied soon enough, and I would rather have all the facts in front of me before I acted. And I _would _act.

"How long until we meet with your team?" I asked evenly. Eddie, as well as the rest of the 'burg, had no idea of the extent of my military career, and I preferred to keep it that way. To them, I was just grunt who mustered out of the Army.

Unless I felt they weren't handling the situation properly to my satisfaction, I would sit back and observe. Although, if they felt my involvement was needed, I'd follow along, which could very well be the reason for finally enlightening me of to the situation.

That thought made me wonder just how much Ranger knew about me. After all, he had the same contacts and security clearances to obtain information that I did, and probably knew I'd had him looked into. It was also very possible he'd had the very same instincts to look into my background as I had with him, even though I hadn't been informed of any inquiries. His status as an active operative would allow him much deeper access, yet I hadn't gotten the feeling he had acted on his advantage.

I'd noticed the deferential way he'd responded when he'd visited with Stephanie, and I could only assume he saw something in me that suggested caution in his attitude of my family, my daughter in particular. My respect for the man had begun there, and everything I'd learned since had only increased the faith I had in this man to protect her as I would. There had been several close calls, of course, but he hadn't let me down yet.

"Not long. We should be arriving there in about ten more minutes. You okay with this so far?" he asked. He seemed a bit more relaxed than when we left the cab station, and I knew that was partially due to how calm I'd taken the news of the continued threat against Stephanie. Little did he know that my demeanor was largely influenced by the man who had taken her under his protection and rescued her more times than should have been necessary with any other woman.

My daughter was special in many ways, and it had become obvious some time ago that Ranger agreed. I was aware that many on the street called her 'Manoso's Woman', and I also knew that Ranger had in some way initiated that rumor. It was one way of assuring a measure of protection for her when he or his men were unable to accompany her while she chased some of her skips, as well as keeping most of the riff raff away from her door.

It seemed only a few minutes had passed before we pulled up in front of a spacious two story home located in a quiet neighborhood much like the 'burg, except the houses were all single family homes as opposed to the duplexes that populated our section of Trenton. I recognized the Porsche SUV that Ranger drove, as well as another black SUV used by many of his men. I also noticed a rental car parked in the driveway next to the generic SUV, and I wondered who else would be joining us. I'd soon find out.

We walked up the decorative pathway to the front door and mounted the steps just as the front door swung open, revealing one of the Rangeman that I'd seen accompanying Steph a few times when Ranger had placed guards on her. I took his outstretched hand in greeting, then he stepped aside to allow us to enter the home. He closed and locked the front door, then motioned us to follow him as he walked down a short hallway that ended in a kitchen occupied by two other men.

I recognized Ranger immediately, and although I had never met the other man in the room, he resembled Manoso closely enough that the relationship was obvious. He wasn't quite as big as Ranger, nor did he have the long hair pulled back in a pony tail that was a trademark of the bounty hunter, but he was clearly an actively fit man.

Ranger stood and shook my hand, then turned to introduce everyone. Evidently Eddie had never met his brother either.

"Mr. Plum, Eddie, this is my brother Marcus Manoso, and I believe you've met my brother-in-law Jason Poljasik on several occasions with Stephanie. You might remember him as Ram. Marcus, this is Stephanie's father Frank Plum, and her cousin Eddie Gazarra." He stood back and waited while we shook hands with each other, then reached over to the counter next to him and picked up a thick manila folder. He paused, looking me straight in the eye, and began to speak, choosing his words carefully.

"Sir, I think it's best if you review the file first, then we can answer any questions you might have." He seemed to be fighting an internal argument with himself, then tensed and finally continued. "I want you to know that I haven't gained any pleasure from this, although it's no secret I'm not a fan of this man. My only motive at all times _was_ and _is_ to protect Stephanie, at any and all costs. Eddie here played a big part in collecting and verifying the authenticity of the information, and you are encouraged to speak with him privately if you have any doubts." He finished speaking, then hesitantly handed me the file. Ram then spoke up.

"You might feel more comfortable in the living room where you can review the material in more pleasant surroundings, since it will take some time, or you're welcome to stay here in the kitchen. There's plenty of coffee ready, so feel free to help yourself. We'll give you some privacy now." He turned and started to follow the Manoso brothers out of the room, but stopped at the sound of my voice.

"Ranger?" All three men stopped and turned, looking at me questioningly. "If it's all the same to you, I'd like you to remain here with us while I go over this. I may have some questions Eddie can't answer, and something tells me it would be in Steph's best interests to trust each other right here, and right now. You know I've had you checked out, and I know what kind of man you are. I have no reason whatsoever not believe what I'm about to read, so let's dispense with the niceties and get on with it. What do you say, son?" I waited patiently for an answer, although it wasn't long in coming.

The blank look that had been present from the time I'd entered the house was suddenly gone, and it's place was a look of immense relief, as well as a good part of the tension he'd been holding in dissipating from his body. I smiled and sat down at the table, opening the file he had obviously spent a lot of time and manpower to assemble.

I looked at the photo clipped to the front page and froze. That no-good son of a bitch!

The eyes that stared back at me from the page were none other than the man I'd suspected as soon as Eddie had started to fill me in. Even though I'd half expected this, it still came as a shock. My daughter's sometime boyfriend, Detective Joseph Morelli, the man my wife was constantly pushing Stephanie to marry and start a family with. I could see now why they'd hesitated to bring me into the loop, although if they knew how I really felt about the man, they might have clued me in sooner. Not even Stephanie knew my true feelings.

I didn't much like Joe Morelli from the time the boy was eight years old and fingered my young daughter in his garage. I'd wanted to beat the hell out of him when he stole her virginity behind the counter at the Tasty Pastry when she was only sixteen. And for the past three years I've itched to take him out to a deserted field for target practice every time he's yelled at her when she refused to kowtow to his demands about her job and her friends.

It was not only the rumors of his clandestine affair with his high school sweetheart, but also his disrespect of her intelligence that had started a cold hatred in my gut. The times he'd taken advantage of her warm and generous nature, coupled with the derogatory ways he'd cut her down and tell her she wasn't good enough, had festered that hatred. I'd hoped every time she broke up with him it would be for good. I couldn't interfere, however. I respected my daughter too much to try influencing her choices.

After reading a summary of the contents, I looked up at Ranger, pinning his gaze with my own. He'd been watching closely for my reaction, maybe a little more intensely than I'd expected. Smart man. He may not have checked me out like I had him, but then he evidently didn't need to. He went up another notch. Now I had to know how much of this information she'd been given, and when.

"Has Stephanie seen this?" I asked, dreading his reply. The look on his face gave me my first answer, the anger consuming me was so intense I could barely choke out the rest of what I needed to know. "When?"

He closed his eyes momentarily, then opened them and leveled his gaze at me. His voice was hoarse when he answered, as if the effort was costing him a great deal. I knew how he felt. It was all I could do not to find Morelli and kill him now. Slowly.

"Last night, after I took her to my house where she could be safe and out of harms way. I have two men with her there now, watching over her." He sighed as he finished the last word. It seemed out of character for him, but then my younger daughter inspired a lot of people to act differently than they normally would. "I couldn't keep it from her, Sir. As soon as we verified exactly what the threat was, I was on my way to tell her. That's when Roberts threw that Molotov cocktail into her car and blew it up. I got there just after the explosion, and Lester was right behind me. He took her from there to my house, and I never got a chance to tell her our suspicions and discuss a plan." He stopped again, but this time I sensed what he had to say was even more painful to him than anything he'd told me so far.

"I didn't have any choice. I couldn't let anything else happen to her, so I took away the one thing I've always given her." He swallowed, and I knew then what was eating at him, causing the grief I could see in his eyes. It was something to think about later, when there was nothing left but the cleanup after all is said and done.

"Her choices." I said quietly. We were all silent for several minutes, and then I needed to hear one more thing. Probably the most important part of this whole mess. "How did she take it?" I watched his face as the question registered, and I figured it probably nearly destroyed him to watch her read that file and understand the betrayal she felt from someone she'd trusted her whole life, albeit wrongly, but trusted nonetheless.

"It tore her up, Sir. She sat there and cried as she read it, but she read that whole damn file from the first page to the last. I was so proud of her." This last comment was said on a whisper, evidence to me of just how strong his feelings for my little girl were. His face took on a hard look then, and then I realized my dilemma. I was going to kill that conniving bastard Morelli, and from the look on Ranger's face, I might have a little competition for that honor.

One thing I knew for sure. Trenton, and my family, were never going to be the same again.

tbc


	16. Chapter 16 Steph's POV

Disclaimer: See the previous chapters. As always, a huge thanks to my SuperBetas BB & Kym. You're fabulous, Babes!

**Locked Up & Pissed****Off** – pt 16

Steph's POV

I MADE MY WAY slowly up the stairs, trying to push down the hurt at Lester's words. How could he possibly think I hated Ranger? God, I was so far on the other end of the spectrum it was pathetic! His intimation that I thought less of him because of his skin color really pissed me off, though. What, because I was Italian / Hungarian and from the 'burg that Ranger's skin color made any difference? Pullease!

It was the comment that I had hurt Ranger that really cut deep though. I'd die before I would ever hurt him, although according to Lester I already had. I had just started to wrap my head around the fact that going back to Joe all those times somehow had caused him pain, but until recently I hadn't known that. Now he seems to think I _wanted_ to hurt him. Just who was delusional now?

And Joe. Obviously _I_ was the idiot there, because all this time I thought he really loved me, and he was cheating with Mob Bitch Barbie, as well as setting up my former skips to threaten me. What was up with that? Did he really think I'd cave and quit my job because of all the catastrophes? The idea that he thought so little of me as to arrange all those attacks just to make me give in was like a blow to my heart. Then it pissed me off.

By the time I reached my bedroom and flopped down into my thinking position I had a headache, and I felt more depressed than when I had gone downstairs. Not only had Ranger basically showed me we had nothing, and Joe was definitely _not _going to be a part of my life anymore, but now it looked like Lester couldn't stand me either, and he was my favorite Merry Man. _Great, Steph. You managed to lose almost every single person you care about in one day. Could you be any more of a loser?_

I curled up on the bed, wishing at that moment I could be with my Dad. I smiled a little at the thought of how my Dad always managed to cheer me up when I was little. Even though he didn't say much, he seldom managed to not make the hurt go away. Whether it was when I jumped off the garage roof and broke my arm, or when Joe had written about popping my cherry at the Tasty Pastry all over the bathroom wall at Mario's Sub Shoppe and the football stadium at the high school, or even when I'd found Dickie playing hide-the-salami with Joyce Barnhardt on my dining room table. Although my Mom had ranted and raved about making such a spectacle, my Dad had quietly comforted me and told me he was behind me.

I felt tears start to sting my eyes when those thoughts led me to Ranger again. He managed to make the hurt go away too, and his 'Proud of you, Babe' always seemed to make everything better. I wondered if I'd ever hear him say that to me again. _Probably not_, I thought bitterly. Mr. 'I don't do relationships' would more than likely stay as far away from me as possible now that he knew I was in love with him. After all, he'd left the safe house, leaving Lester and Bobby here to watch over me.

Thinking about Ranger only seemed to make my head and my heart hurt worse, so I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.

I woke some time later, my eyes crusted with sleep but my head no longer pounding. I still wanted to call my Dad, so I figured I'd just shelve all the thoughts I'd had before my nap and go find a phone. I didn't see one anywhere in the room earlier, so there was a possibility that no land lines had been installed.

I got up from the bed and went into the bathroom to wash my face. Maybe Lester or Bobby would let me use their phone to call my Dad. It wouldn't be as good as him holding me, but it would be the next best thing. Just hearing his voice would help, since he didn't talk much. Only when it was important. _Or when he was griping about Grandma._ That thought brought a smile to my face. I loved my Grandma Mazur, even if she did get a little crazy sometimes!

I walked down the stairs a little apprehensively, as I wasn't sure if Lester and Bobby were still mad at me. I didn't see Lester at first, but Bobby was sitting at the counter in the kitchen, a cup of coffee by his elbow and a medical book in his hand. He lowered the book as I walked into the room and raised a questioning eyebrow. I cleared my throat and tried to speak, my mouth dry as Ranger toast.

"Um, I was wondering if I could borrow a phone?" My voice came out a little raspy, probably from just waking up. Yeah, I'm going with that.

Bobby frowned, shaking his head as he started to turn back to his book. I sighed. Too bad _he_ didn't have ESP!

"I just want to call my Dad Bobby, that's all. Would it be okay if I used yours?" Yeesh, it's not like I was gonna call Joe! I'm not _that_ dense!

"Bombshell, I'm not sure that's such a good idea right now. Ranger said no calls until we have the 'all clear', and we don't expect that until later this afternoon at the earliest." He sounded apologetic, but I could tell he wasn't going to be swayed by anything until he got word from Ranger. This little piece of information managed to piss me off. Their cell phones couldn't be traced very easily, so what would be the harm? Just because _Ranger_ said so?

"Then call Ranger, Bobby, because I'm not going to just sit around twiddling my thumbs until _he_ decides I can talk to my Dad!" I started to get upset that I wasn't even allowed to talk to my own Father. _He _wouldn't do anything to hurt me!

Bobby shook his head and pulled out his phone, mumbling so low I couldn't hear what he was saying. Probably something about what a pain I was. I didn't really care at the moment. I just needed to hear my Dad's voice. Was that too much to ask?

Ranger must've picked up right away, because Bobby began talking into the phone, turning away from me as he started talking. He wasn't speaking loud enough for me to hear, but I'll bet it wasn't very nice. After a minute he turned back to me and handed me the phone, his face blank like it used to be when I'd first met him. _There goes Bobby_, I thought.

"Hello?" My voice wasn't quite as even as I wished, but I was getting what I wanted, so I wasn't going to worry about that right now.

"Hello Pumpkin. How are you?" My Dad's voice came through the receiver, and I almost cried from relief. He sounded so good to me!

"Daddy?" I could feel a lump in my throat as a feeling of déjà vu hit me. Just like all the times when I was upset and my Dad made it better. "I'm okay. I wish I was there with you." I felt tears start to clog my throat as the sound of his voice washed through me.

"I do too, baby, but you're safer where you're at. This will all be over soon, and then you'll be home." His soothing tone had the effect of calming me down, and I began to get a hold of myself. Did he know about Joe?

"Did you know about all this? About Joe?" I asked in a whisper, half afraid of the answer. Was he keeping secrets too?

"No, Pumpkin, I didn't. I'm here with Ranger and a few others. They just showed me the file that they have. I know it all now." He spoke in an apologetic voice. "I'm sorry I didn't know sooner, Steph. I haven't been a very good father, have I?"

I shook my head, forgetting he couldn't see me. I started to cry again, because he was the best Dad a girl could have.

"That's not true! You're the _best_ ever! You've _always_ let me fly, and picked me up when I fell. No one could be a better Dad than you!" I told him vehemently. It was true, and I wanted to make sure he knew that.

"I love you, Pumpkin. I'll let your Mother and Grandma know you're okay, and that you're safe. Don't call them; let me tell them. Do what Ranger and his men tell you, and you'll be fine. You just stay that way, okay Steph?" He sounded almost as if he were pleading with me, and I felt my breath catch. My Dad _never_ worried about me like this, even when I had some crazy stalker after me. It made me wonder if I really knew as much about my Dad as I'd thought. I'd think about that later, along with all the other issues I'd been procrastinating about.

"I love you too, Daddy. I'll try my best to be good, but you be careful too. I don't want anyone else to get hurt." I'd die if Joe tried to hurt my family to get back at me. Unfortunately, he just might try to. Ever since we've been 'off' he's managed to get my Mother to jump onto his bandwagon about my job _and_ Ranger, and the past couple of weeks she's been going on and on about how much safer my life would be if I'd just quit my job like Joe says and marry him. Stalkers wouldn't bother with a 'burg housewife, according to Joe, and she'd parroted him so much lately that sometimes it was like arguing with him instead.

"Daddy?" My voice was tiny, like when I was a little girl.

"Yeah Pumpkin?"

"I'm sorry." I whispered, choking back a sob.

"There's nothing to be sorry for, baby. This isn't your fault." His voice was assuring, and it was all I could do not to start sobbing. He was the best Dad ever!

"Thank you. I know that's not true, but I appreciate it." I had to get off the phone now because I knew I was gonna start crying again. Still, talking with him had helped me immensely, and I knew I'd have to thank Ranger for letting me speak to him. It was worth it, though.

"I gotta go now, Daddy. I love you. Give Mom and Grandma a kiss for me, will you? And _please_ be careful! I'm scared of what Joe might do, okay?" My voice was hoarse again, and my throat so clogged with emotion I barely managed to get that out. I was probably going to feel really shitty later, but right now I was back to being a little girl talking to my Daddy, and he was making things better, just like always.

"Okay, Pumpkin. I love you too. I'll talk to you later, okay?" His voice wasn't exactly stable either, which was kind of a surprise. My Dad didn't express emotion very often, and it had been a long time since he had shown his feelings, especially in front of others.

I heard the phone disconnect, so I turned and handed Bobby his phone back. His face wasn't blank anymore, and I felt relieved that he didn't seem angry with me for insisting on making that phone call.

"Thank you, Bobby. I'm sorry I was so cranky. I just needed my Dad." I still sounded a little raspy, but it didn't matter. The talk with my Dad, and knowing he didn't blame me, had made a world of difference to me. Maybe I could get through this after all.

"No problem Bombshell. I just needed to make sure Ranger had already filled your Dad in on everything before letting you talk to him. We need to be really careful about who hears what, and we also didn't want him to get the wrong information. He needed the truth." Bobby sounded so sweet I almost wanted to cry again. I smiled and laid my hand on his arm, giving it a slight squeeze.

"I understand. Maybe next time you can tell me that before I come unglued?" I teased, glad to be able to do that without worrying he would draw back. Bobby really was a nice guy.

He laughed and slung this other arm across my back, engulfing me in a big hug. It felt good to have a hug from a friend, so I let my head rest against his chest and closed my eyes, my lips curved in a smile.

My moment of peace was interrupted by the sound of a throat clearing, and when I looked up, Lester was standing in the doorway with an intense look on his face. I guess he was still mad at me.

Well, there went the second reason I'd had to smile all day. I felt the blood drain from my face as I pulled away from Bobby, shoving my hands in my pockets before turning away towards the stairs.

"Um, I'm gonna go clean out Rex's cage. If you need me for anything…" I tried to keep the hurt out of my voice, but wasn't very successful. I hated that he had such a low opinion of me, and I didn't know how to correct it.

"Steph."

I stopped at the first step, keeping my back turned. 'Steph', not 'Beautiful'. It hurt almost as much as Ranger not calling me 'Babe'. Almost.

The room was silent behind me as I waited to hear what he had to say. It seemed like I stood there for hours waiting, when it was probably only seconds. By then my nerves had had plenty of time to tighten up like a bowstring, ready to snap at any moment.

I heard a sigh which I could only assume was from Lester before he spoke.

"Lunch will be ready in about half an hour." Okay, not what I expected him to say. I didn't expect him to sound almost beaten, either, but I was probably wrong about that. It's not like _his_ world got turned upside down as well as losing the love of his life and his best friend all in one day!

I was feeling pretty sorry for myself, so I thought maybe I'd throw myself a pity party upstairs to get it out of my system. Maybe by then Ranger would have things under control and I could go home.

The thought of Ranger just made me feel worse, and I didn't feel much like doing anything at all, except go cry myself to sleep again. I wasn't even hungry anymore. In fact the thought of food just made my stomach churn, so I shook my head and started slowly up the stairs, speaking over my shoulder as I went.

"I'm not really hungry. I'm just gonna go upstairs and lie down. Thanks, though." It would probably be a good idea to get into my room before I started heaving, and besides, I didn't need to stay where I wasn't wanted anyway.

"Steph, ya gotta eat." Lester called after me. "You haven't had anything since before you got here!" I could hear him start up the stairs after me so I stopped, turning around to see him just a few steps below me.

"I seriously don't think I could eat right now. Please, I…I just need to lay down." I felt my stomach clench, so I turned and ran up the stairs, hoping to make it before I embarrassed myself again.

I made it to the toilet just in time for my stomach to empty it's contents; my morning coffee. I sat hunched over the bowl as I dry heaved repeatedly, my head starting to pound with each spasm of my stomach. It finally seemed to settle down, but I just didn't have the energy to get up, so I laid down on the floor, the cool tile feeling wonderful against my aching head.

I don't know how long I lay there in misery before a cool washcloth was handed to me and a muscled arm was encircling my shoulders to help me stand. I took the washcloth shakily, wiping the sweat and bile from my face. I murmured a 'Thank You' without looking up, getting a slight hug in reply. I was led out of the bathroom and over to the bed, where the covers had been turned down and the pillows propped invitingly.

Sitting down exhaustedly, I looked up through my lashes to see Bobby giving me a concerned once-over. He took the soiled washcloth from me and returned to the bathroom, dropping it in the hamper and flushing the toilet. He came back with a bottle of mouthwash and an empty cup, handing them to me silently. I took them gratefully and proceeded to rinse my mouth out, spitting into the empty cup and sighing with relief to have the horrible taste gone. He took the glass and mouthwash back into the bathroom, rinsing the glass out before returning to the bedside with a fresh glass full of water and a bottle of aspirin. He shook out two into his palm, offering them to me. I swallowed them down, drinking just enough water to wash them down. The way my stomach was acting I really didn't want too much in it at the moment.

"You need to eat, Bombshell." He started, then cut me off as I started to protest. "Get undressed and crawl in bed. I'll be back in a few minutes with some tea and crackers; that should help with the nausea for now. After you've had a nap you'll feel much better, and by dinner time you should be fine." The expression on his face told me not to even think about arguing with him, so I just sighed and kicked my shoes off, toeing off my socks since I didn't feel like bending over. The way my head was feeling I wasn't sure if I could make it back upright.

I was just crawling under the covers after pulling a T-shirt over my head when Bobby reappeared with the promised tea and soda crackers laid out nicely on a tray. He set the tray across my lap, hesitating to leave until he saw me pick up the mug of tea and take a sip. I grimaced at the taste, but took another sip before setting the mug down and picking up a cracker. He nodding approvingly as I nibbled, then turned and left, closing the door gently behind him.

I finished the tea and a couple more crackers, setting the tray on the night table. A nap did sound like a good idea, and I wouldn't have to think about how shitty my life was right now until later, so I curled up under the covers and promptly fell asleep.

tbc


	17. Chapter 17 Ranger's POV

Disclaimer: Please see previous chapters. I'd like to thank everyone who's stuck with me on this, and especially the ladies of BurumaBabes for their enthusiastic support. Kym, thank you so much for being my sounding board and keeping me sane, as well as kicking my ass when I go overboard! A huge thanks to BB for just being herself! Thanks again everyone!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 17

Ranger's POV

MY CONFESSION TO FRANK Plum about taking Stephanie's choices away – basically kidnapping her from her apartment after the explosion – had been difficult to do. It hadn't been a decision I'd come to lightly, but the look on his face said he understood my reasons. He seemed almost relieved when I told him how proud I was of her. That part hadn't been difficult at all, since I've never made a secret of the fact I admired her for her intuitiveness and ingenuity. She deserved it.

Unlike the man who professed to love her enough to marry her and father her children, I saw no reason to keep silent when she succeeded in piecing together seemingly random bits of information that ultimately solved some very complex 'puzzles'. Many of those 'puzzles' had admittedly been dangerous, and I wasn't happy sometimes with the methods she used or her lack of safety precautions when acquiring said information, but she deserved recognition for her accomplishments. Her instincts about Con Stiva was a prime example. No one else could have put that scenario together so quickly. Even, sad to say, myself and my men.

I also didn't feel the need to berate her when the results turned out somewhat messy because of her unorthodox approach to capturing some of her skips. She put herself through enough all on her own, not to mention her mother and the rest of the 'burg.

The fact that she was untrained, yet still managed to maintain her record of 100% apprehensions of her skips, put her in a class all of her own. Even _I_ wasn't as successful as my Babe when it came to bringing in every single FTA I was contracted to reacquire, and I was considered one of the best. I had no right, nor was it my place to castigate her. Neither was it the cop's, in my opinion.

The very thought of the bastard that was the instigator of her current problems was enough to make me wish I hadn't listened to Tank, and had instead dealt him my own brand of punishment. I'd had several opportunities to mete out justice on the missions I did when I went 'into the wind' as my Babe called it. There was never any trace of those individuals remaining once I'd gotten through with them. From the look on his face, her father was having thoughts along the same path.

Watching him today as he studied the considerable amount of evidence we'd amassed, I knew I'd read him correctly when I assumed he was more than he'd let on. I almost wished I _had_ looked into his background, since I was curious as to just how the man might go about meting out his own form of justice. I had a feeling it would be very close to mine.

The ring of my phone interrupted the silence that had descended on the room. It was Bobby, and I could feel my heart race as I punched the button to answer. It could only be about my Babe.

"Talk." The tension in my voice must've been easily apparent, because Bobby paused slightly before getting to the reason he called.

"Boss, she's awake and wants to call her father. I told her later this afternoon would be better, but she's pretty insistent. She's also not real pleased that you're restricting her calls." Even though he was talking in a low voice, which probably meant she was right there, I could tell he was trying to keep the irritation out of his voice but he wasn't doing too good of a job. I imagined she was probably a lot more pissed at me and was taking it out on Bobby. My fault. I'd let her have her say later this evening when I returned to the safe house, since I was the one who ordered her into hiding. "How long will you be talking to him? I honestly think she's gonna have a meltdown soon, so if you can speed things up…"

I looked over at her father and quirked an eyebrow in question, which he responded to with a nod of his head. He was ready to talk to her now, which Bobby would be relieved to hear.

"Put her on, Bobby. Mr. Plum is right here, and he's been briefed. He knows how to handle it." I could hear his sigh of relief. I was gonna owe him big time after this, and he'd make sure I paid!

I handed him my phone, then motioned to the others as I stepped back a respectful distance to give him some privacy. My gut said he was smart enough to say no more than needed, but I also respected the man's relationship with his daughter. They both deserved that much.

He cleared his throat, his face becoming more relaxed in his standard expression of mild interest. His mask to the 'burg.

"Hello Pumpkin. How are you?" His tone was as if he were home in front of his TV, making small conversation with his family. A very effective misdirection technique. I might have to try that, especially if it was effective with my Babe.

Whatever Stephanie was saying to her father was evidently getting to him, although he kept up his ''burg face'. I detected a very subtle softening of his voice when he spoke next which led me to believe he wanted to be there holding her, just as I'd always felt when she was upset. It was almost uncanny how I could read this man, as if I were there in his place.

"I do too, baby, but you're safer where you're at. This will all be over soon, and then you'll be home." He spoke in a soothing voice, as if he were trying to calm her.

He stiffened then, as if she'd said something that he found unpalatable.

"No, Pumpkin, I didn't. I'm here with Ranger and a few others. They just showed me the file that they have. I know it all now." He spoke in an apologetic voice. "I'm sorry I didn't know sooner, Steph. I haven't been a very good father, have I?"

His posture slumped a little, his head shaking minutely as he said this. I could very well guess what she'd asked him, his response to her made that very clear, and I made a note to myself to apologize to him later for keeping him in the dark so long. Given the type of man I now knew him to be, I was positive he'd accept my explanation. I'm also confident he would have handled it the same way if our positions were reversed.

Whatever she said then evidently reassured him that he hadn't failed her, because he didn't even try to hide the emotions he was feeling while he listened to her. The relief and love were clearly apparent. I envied him the freedom to show those feelings.

"I love you, Pumpkin. I'll let your Mother and Grandma know you're okay, and that you're safe. Don't call them; let me tell them. Do what Ranger and his men tell you, and you'll be fine. You just stay that way, okay Steph?" His tone shook a little at the end there, and a note of almost-pleading snuck in. He knew his daughter better than most did, and I could well imagine the scenarios running through his head there. I had a few of my own.

I saw him stiffen again, and his mask hardened microscopically as he listened to what she was saying. She must've mentioned the cop, because the look in his eyes matched those I observed as he read the file. It was becoming very clear to me that Frank Plum did _not_ like his daughter's ex-boyfriend. A quick glance at Ram and Marcus confirmed they'd caught it too. My feelings toward the man were getting more positive by the moment.

"Yeah Pumpkin?" Steph must be feeling pretty raw about now, because the man sounded a little more emotional than I'd expected. This was the man who hid from the world the fact that getting on his bad side wasn't a very good idea. Quite the opposite of me and my men.

"There's nothing to be sorry for, baby. This isn't your fault." A note of assurance crept into his voice, and made me wish all the harder I could be there to hold and comfort her, not that she'd allow me.

I watched as my Babe's father listened attentively to her, his mask of genial 'burg father back in place. It made me wonder if he realized how much he gave away while talking to Stephanie. It was just that moment when I was sure the cop was mentioned that reminded me of when he'd been reading the file. _That_ was the man who was dangerous.

"Okay, Pumpkin. I love you too. I'll talk to you later, okay?" He ended the call and silently handed my phone back to me, grimacing

as he looked up at me. The call helped, but I understood how difficult it had to be for him to limit himself to this type of contact. He would much rather be there with Stephanie to hold her and reassure himself she was all right.

I'd felt the same way when Julie was kidnapped, even though my relationship with my daughter was vastly different from his with my Babe. They were close, whereas I only allowed myself brief and infrequent visits with the little girl I'd fathered before Scrog had turned our lives upside down. I'd learned a hard lesson then, but it helped me to see inside Frank Plum's head today. It would be interesting to compare notes with him when this was over.

In the mean time, we had a lot to do. Mainly, keeping all our witnesses alive and safe, and especially protecting the woman who was unwittingly at the center of all this mess. As she would claim, it wasn't her fault. I cleared my throat.

"Mr. Plum? What role to you want to play in this?" I started. I knew damn well he wanted in on the capture, but it was a matter of respect. There would be no more assuming on our part in regards to my Babe's father, and no more leaving the man out. He deserved to have a say in this from here on out, and I couldn't deny his input. He was too valuable on so many different levels.

"First, why don't we all start off by calling me Frank. This whole mess is too personal for all of us to stand on ceremony." He looked straight at me as he said this, and I realized he knew just how I felt about his daughter. He knew and didn't seem upset by it. Food for thought later.

"As far as my role? Tell me what you need me to do. From what I've read, your handling of this has been excellent so far, so I don't want to upset that. However," he shot a glance at Eddie and Ram before returning to level his gaze on me. "I wouldn't take it too kindly if you held anything back in the future." He held up his hand when I went to comment. "I understand the reasons you did it up to now. You didn't know how I'd react to accusing a member of the 'burg, and considering your reception and those of your men into my home by my wife, I'd have done the same. As for Morelli, I've never liked the man. He was a selfish and nasty little punk in his youth, and not much has changed in that respect. But, he seemed to be Stephanie's choice, and I love my daughter too much to hurt her by not accepting him." He paused for a few moments, choosing his next words carefully.

"I know you weren't exactly aware of my past, and you still don't know the half of it. I say _weren't aware_, because I think you already suspect a good portion of it. I know you never had me checked out, although I believe I know why. So out of respect for you and your men here, I think I should clue you in a little more about who I used to be." He moved over to the coffee pot and filled a clean mug full of the hot brew, then took a careful sip as he contemplated what he was going to say next. The rest of us followed suit, giving him more time to organize his thoughts.

We all took a seat at the table, waiting respectfully for him to tell us what he thought we should know. I had to admit to a strong curiosity as to what he was going to say, even though I had a good idea what the gist of it was.

"Right out of high school I joined the Army, and was soon accepted into the Rangers. I was known as Tracker in those days…" He began a slightly edited but surprisingly thorough story that closely resembled my own life, from the time I left college right up until I met a curly-haired brunette and unlocked the handcuffs that held her captive to a shower rod. The only deviation my life had taken was Julie, and although I regretted the circumstances around her birth, I no longer wished that that part of my life was different. If it was, my daughter wouldn't be who she was today, and I quite possibly would have never met Stephanie Plum. I'd never regret that moment, even if I could never have her in my life after this was over.

A good three and a half hours later, Frank Plum wrapped up the tale of his highly classified past as one of the most legendary operatives the Rangers had ever produced, causing no small amount of admiration from myself as well as my brother-in-law and my brother. Eddie, however, sat frozen in shock as he learned more about his uncle than he'd dreamed possible, his coffee cold and long forgotten . It had become apparent early on that he wasn't even aware of Frank Plum's service in the Army, not to mention the kind of services he performed.

For me, it was like _déjà vu. Several missions he described mirrored my own, and brought back painful memories of sacrifices I'd had to make, both personally and professionally, in order to accomplish them. Some of them were actually worth it. From his expression, my Babe's father had many of the same conflicts, as well as the regrets. _

_With a start I realized it was getting on to late afternoon, and our combined absence would surely be noted by the cop and/or his eyes on the street. We needed to conclude our meeting and get back to Trenton before irreparable damage was done, and foremost, I wasn't willing to jeopardize the safety of Frank Plum, nor Eddie Gazarra. They had become important to me in their own right, without the added relationships to Stephanie. _

_I stood up, motioning to Marcus and Ram that we were finished. Eddie shook himself and rose as well, glancing several times at his_

_Uncle as he assimilated the man he'd grown to know with the man who revealed himself to us today. Frank simply ignored the looks his nephew was giving him, instead rising to shake hands with Marcus and Ram, leaving me for last._

"About what I've told you today. **Absolutely no one is to know about it. Not. A. Soul.** Not Stephanie, my wife, anyone." He looked directly into my eyes, his voice low but firm. I nodded, understanding his concerns more than he might've known if not for our similar backgrounds. I would keep his secret as if it were my own, and I knew those present would also. We all had too much at stake.

I glanced at Eddie, then back to Frank. "Does Morelli know you aren't exactly his biggest fan?" I asked him. He shook his head, a look of dawning comprehension becoming apparent in his eyes. "It would help if you could encourage him to get closer to you, to 'join forces', so to speak, for Stephanie's sake. It could help to draw his focus away from your wife and mother-in-law until he's in custody. I'm not comfortable with his continued visits to your home since he's been showing signs of suspicion and eliminating those who could damage him. I don't want to take the chance he wouldn't try to use your family as insurance or bait for Stephanie in case this gets ugly." I watched as a grin spread across his face, a gleam in his eyes that wasn't there just a moment ago. He was going to enjoy his 'role' in this. He nodded his head in agreement. One thing I thought should be brought up, although it seemed almost superfluous. "I don't think I need to advise you to watch yourself, do I?" He chuckled at me.

"No son, I'm fairly certain I can handle myself. He won't know I'm aware of his role in this mess, so even if he does try anything, I'll be ready to neutralize him. I won't kill him," he reassured me even as I made to speak. "because as much as I'd like to tear him limb from limb, the thought of him in prison as someone's 'bitch' has a certain appeal." His grin suddenly turned feral and a dark shadow passed over his face. "I certainly hope you'll _allow_ me a few minutes alone with him before he's formally turned over to the authorities. As a matter of fact, you might like to join us and add your own contributions to our little 'chat'." His face suddenly reverted to his 'burg look. Complacent, as if he were back home sitting in front of his TV in his recliner, life going on around him as it normally did. The man was good!

"How about we play that by ear?" I told him. The thought of giving the cop a lesson such as Frank Plum had in mind, as well as seeing him administer that lesson, was something I'd give my right arm for. Well, maybe one or two of my guy's arms. I needed both of mine to hold my Babe.

He nodded and turned to Eddie, motioning his still-dazed nephew out of the kitchen and down the hall to the front door. I watched as he closed the door gently, then turned to Ram and Marcus. It was time to present our evidence to the D.A.'s office, and hopefully have the cop picked up before nightfall. I didn't hold out much hope that he would be denied bail, considering his position as a 'solid' citizen of the city. I'd kill that bastard Vinnie Plum if he posted the bond, though.

"Well gentlemen? I think it's time we get started on the hard part, don't you?"

tbc


	18. Chapter 18 Morelli's POV

Disclaimer: See the previous chapters. Morelli's really out there in this chapter, so let me warn you again. NOT MORELLI FRIENDLY! Minor character death here. Just don't flame me too bad, okay? A huge thanks to Tom for his 'male' take on this, and to Kym and BB for their invaluable input on this one. It was really hard to write!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 18

Morelli's POV

DRIVING HOME FROM THE precinct, I was lost in thought as I tried to plan my next move. From what my Cupcake's elderly neighbors said yesterday, she had been truly terrified when that piece of trash Roberts threw that Molotov cocktail into her car. It pissed me off that he'd cut it so close, but then it _did_ do the job, and it wasn't as if she'd been really hurt. I'm sure she'll give up that job now. It's totally inappropriate for my future wife and mother of my children to be involving herself with the scum here, getting pelted with garbage and embarrassing me like she does.

All I've dreamed of since I was eight years old was for Stephanie Plum to be my wife and bear my children. It's why I wanted to teach her Choo-Choo when she was six years old, and ten years later I got to take her virginity right there on the floor of the Tasty Pastry. Even though she ran me over two years later and broke my leg, I knew one day she'd be my wife. After all, _I_ had her first.

Even though we're 'off' right now, I know my Cupcake will come back to me if that son of a bitch 'Ranger' would just stay away from her. She always does. We're meant to be together, no matter what that 'spic' mercenary says. The whole 'burg knows it; hell my Grandma Bella even saw _our_ children in a vision, so no matter what _he_ says, she's mine!

_Ricardo fucking Manoso_. Ever since I've tried to get Steph to commit to me and behave like a proper 'burg woman destined to be my wife, he's been sniffing around her, making her think she can actually do that asinine job she's so hell bent on doing. It was fate that I was her first FTA, and that she tried to help clear me. She knew then we were meant to be. Of course, she should've quit the job once I proved my innocence, but I needed time to get my plan together, so I let her keep working for a while. Besides, I'd been doing Terri for so long it was getting tricky keeping the two separated.

It wouldn't look too good for me and my job if the suits found out I was banging a Mafia princess, but ohhh the benefits to our little association! Terri knew I just wanted Steph as my wife for appearances, but that I truly loved _her_, and I'd always come to her for real satisfaction. Steph was 'burg, and marrying her would give me the respectability I wanted. I would prove that I wasn't a typical Morelli man, and vindicate my mother and myself. Since Terri didn't want to bear children, my Cupcake would have them for me. With her hormones, I could probably keep her pregnant for the next ten years or so, and she wouldn't have time to hang around _him_ anymore. She'd be too busy keeping my bed warm, my children cared for and my house clean.

Everything had been going just as planned, even though I had to take out that idiot Ehrlichman when he bragged about talking to the DA, and that scum Carlucci, who thought he could blackmail me. After they were taken care of, it only made sense to make Elvis Diana disappear before he started to make noises. Can't afford to risk our future on a piece of shit like him.

I hated to have them hurt her, but it was for her own good. Soon she'll be too old to have my babies and take care of our home, so time was of the essence. I'm just glad she didn't stay married to Dickie Orr for long, and he'd never knocked her up. No way would I want to raise his or any other man's brats! _I_ will be the only father of the children I raise, and Stephanie their mother. At least she predictably divorced the slime, and not a moment too soon. I might have had to find a way to make him disappear then, but as it happens, I found an ally in my quest. I still owed Joyce for that one.

Now if I could only find where my Cupcake was being held. There's no doubt in my mind that Manoso and his thugs have her hidden away somewhere. Her neighbors told me he and one of his men had pulled up right after the explosion, and that his man had whisked her off before I could even arrive there. Manoso didn't say anything when I got there and inquired as to her whereabouts, so I know he's got her in a safe house, and everyone knows she won't like that. She hates safe houses, so as soon as she can get me a message, I have to be ready to rescue her.

Manoso might have brainwashed her, but she knows better than to hide from me. I've made sure she understands that rule very clearly. I had taught her that and more when I took her on that two-week vacation to the Poconos just after the Scrog thing. When we got back she told me she didn't want to ever see me again, but Steph and I will never be over. She'll be back.

I pulled up into the driveway of the house my Aunt Rose left me and shut off the ignition. I was so tired. I hadn't slept for over forty-eight hours, since I'd had to track down Elvis Diana early yesterday and remove him from Trenton. The place where I'd left him in the Pine Barrens would finish him off for me, as well as any wild animals that were sure to be attracted by his yells and the smell of fresh blood. He could be dead now, as a matter of fact, a thought which made me smile. Soon, there wouldn't be anyone that could connect me with my Cupcake's mishaps. Hell, they probably don't even suspect anything, since she's always getting into trouble with her skips. I never thought I'd be grateful for her ineptness at anything.

I went up the stairs and unlocked the front door, opening it carefully and preparing myself for Bob's usual enthusiastic greeting. When one wasn't forthcoming, I frowned, shutting the door and calling out to him. He'd been a little hesitant lately when I'd come home, but I took that as missing Steph.

He was sitting in the doorway of the kitchen, looking apprehensively at me. Usually when he's this way that means he's been chewing on something he shouldn't have and needs a trip to the vet. As I started walking towards him, he began backing away, as if I were a stranger. _Now what the heck is wrong with him?_ As I inched closer, he began to growl, baring his teeth and keeping his distance.

"Bob, it's me, Joe. What's wrong with you? C'mere, boy." I've always been able to get anyone to do anything I wanted when I used that tone of voice. It's gotten me into more beds in the 'burg than I could count!

As I got within a foot of him, he snapped, growling and barking at me, backing up until he was cornered against the back door. I saw red then. _I'll bet that fucking Manoso has something to do with this! First he steals my woman, now he's turned my dog against me! _

I took out my police-issued Sig Sauer 9mm. I couldn't have a dog around that might endanger my children. As I clicked off the safety he lunged, grabbing my hand that held the gun and biting down hard. I let out a roar and punched him with a closed fist on the side of his head, dropping to my knees in agony as my hand dripped blood profusely. He yelped in pain and flew across the floor, landing on his side against the refrigerator. He immediately got back up and attacked again, this time trying to reach my throat, growling and snarling. I managed to palm my gun in my left hand, my right too injured to work the gun. As I felt his teeth scrape my jaw and move towards my neck, I jammed the gun into his chest and pulled the trigger, the loud bang nearly drowning out his anguished cry as he fell to the ground beside me. Dead.

All was silent with the exception of my ragged breathing. I set my gun down and stood up unsteadily, cradling my torn and bleeding hand against my chest. I grabbed a dishtowel off the rack next to the sink and wrapped it around my hand, the blood soaking into the towel and staining it red. I took deep breaths, pushing the pain away and calming my breathing. I'd make Manoso pay for this too.

The near silence of the kitchen was broken by the ringing of my cell phone, the tone identifying the caller as the TPD dispatch. I groaned. I'd have to file a report, which meant getting to bed soon wasn't going to happen. Another mark against the thug. I needed sleep to find my Cupcake, and Manoso's interference was going to cost me precious time.

As I spoke on the phone with dispatch, I could hear the sirens getting closer to my house. No doubt an ambulance, and at least two radio cars. I am a cop, after all, and they would be arriving in force. A report of shots fired at an officer's residence would bring every officer not already involved in urgent business.

I opened my front door to Big Dog and Carl Costanza coming up the walkway, followed closely by Robin Russell and 'Picky' Gaspick. All had their guns drawn and were scanning the front porch and yard, looking for any threats. I noticed the paramedics were standing behind their rig, waiting for the all-clear from my brother officers before attempting to approach the house. I let out a sigh and started down the walk.

"Hey Morelli! You okay? What happened?" Carl called out, holstering his gun as he met me halfway to the paramedics.

"Carl, Big Dog. Bob attacked me. I had to shoot him. He's in the kitchen." I nodded to Robin, ignoring Gaspick as I met the paramedics at the sidewalk. I couldn't be bothered to speak with 'Picky' right now, although he had his uses. I just wished he'd roughed up Manoso when I'd tipped him off about the guns back when the Ramos thing went down.

The paramedics treated and dressed my hand, giving me an injection of painkillers when I refused to go to the hospital. I'd had a tetanus shot not too long ago, and since nothing felt broken, I figured only time would heal it. I needed sleep more than anything.

While I was being treated, Carl and Big Dog had removed Bob from my kitchen after Robin had taken some photos and made some notes for the report. 'Picky' was making a nuisance of himself until Robin snapped at him to clean up the blood. I smirked and told Robin thanks, giving her a few more details before heading inside and up the stairs to my room after asking Carl to lock up after themselves.

Soon I'd have my Cupcake back home with me where she belonged, and all would be right with my world.

tbc

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	19. Chapter 19 Lester's POV

Disclaimer: Not mine, not making anything. This is a response to Sue's Toothache challenge on PP & BB. Sorry it's kinda short. I wanted to get this posted for more of Sue's story. Huge thanks to Kym for looking this over for me so fast. Thanks Babe!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 19

Lester's POV

WHEN BOMBER TURNED AND hauled ass up the stairs, pale as a ghost and holding her hand over her mouth, I nearly shit my pants. I went to follow her but was held back by Bobby as he grabbed my arm and gave me the look that said "Way to go, Dumbass. I'll handle it from here." I hadn't realized he'd started to follow us up the stairs. _Real aware of your surrounding, Santos!_ Ric was gonna kill me for making her sick. I just hoped Bobby could get her feeling better before he got back, since he'd be bringing Mari and Mia back with him, which meant I'd be sleeping on the couch for the next month if my wife got wind of my stupidity. She scared me more than Ric!

I smacked my forehead. Shit! I'd better call Mari before Ric got there, otherwise she'd raise hell for not giving her the heads up on my little plan. She'd come with Ric, but she wouldn't be happy.

I headed downstairs and into Ric's office so I could have a little privacy when Bobby came back down. I pulled out my cell and speed-dialed her cell phone. No telling where she was at the moment. Mari always managed to get more done in one day than I could do in a week when it came to our household. I sure wish I had half her energy sometimes!

"Hey baby!" I said, grinning when she picked up. I'd lay odds she was shopping, since it seemed to be her favorite pastime. She's always finding something cute for our daughter to wear or something sexy for me to take off of her. "What are you doing?"

"Hi there, luscious! I'm just heading to the mall. I've got plans for your body tonight and I need some more props. What's up?" There was a sultry tone to her voice that almost had me cumming in my pants. I suppressed a groan. Oh man!

"Listen, we've got a situation, and we could really use your help. We might have to put your plans on hold for a day or two. Sorry baby." Me and my big mouth, offering to bring her up here to help with Bomber. When Mari had 'plans' for my body, _usually_ nothing could stand between what she had in mind and me. If it wasn't for how much I cared about Ric and Steph, I'd be headed home now, and crisis be damned!

"And why is that, may I ask?" She had that pouty tone to her voice, and I almost changed my mind. I was gonna be paying for this one, I'm sure. **Please God…just shoot me now!**

"Look, I'll explain in more detail when you get here, but Ric's gonna drop by soon and pick you two up. Pack an overnight bag for you and Mia, and bring some of Tia Maria's empañadas if you've got any left. The more ammo the better. Also if you can think of anything else for Ric to bribe Stephanie with." I'll bet Mari would have a better idea of what would work than any of us guys could come up with.

"Why does Ric need to bribe Stephanie? What'd he do now?" Thank God her voice had lost that sexy tone. My pants were thankfully starting to loosen up a bit. I grinned at the thought of what Ric was in store for. Mari'd heard enough about Bomber and Ric's idiotic attempts to push her away in the past from me and the guys that I wouldn't put it past her to be giving Ric the third degree on his 'courting' techniques on the drive up. Thank God her voice had lost that sexy tone. My pants were thankfully starting to loosen up a bit.

"He says he tried to tell her how much he loved her, wanted her in his life, but she didn't seem too thrilled. All Bobby and I know now is that she's really upset and crying. I can't get her to eat, and from the way she flew up the stairs a few minutes ago, she's not keeping anything down. We're hoping you can get her to open up, find out what's going on. Ric's miserable and scared for her at the same time. We all are." I hadn't told her what was going on with the present case, but it would probably be okay to fill her in once she was here with us. It was up to Ric. Although it was family business, it was also Ric's personal as well professional business. Family gossip would have to wait.

"All right. Mia's doing her homework right now, but I'll have her pack it up. You can help her finish it tonight while I'm talking to Steph. Do you think we'll just be overnight? There's no school tomorrow since it's Saturday, so we can stay longer if you want us to." My wife's ability to adapt to any situation we encounter never ceases to amaze me. It was one thing that drew me to her almost immediately from the day we met. She'd be one of Steph's staunchest allies when it came time to expose her to the Manoso and Santos clan, I could tell. And Steph'd need that!

"Thanks baby. I'm really sorry we have to put our night on hold, but I'll make it up to you, I promise." My voice was sincere, because I really did regret the change of plans. Mari can be very creative.

"You bet your ass you will! We'll send Mia to your mom's for the night so you can _appropriately_ make it up to me. How does that sound?" That sexy tone was back in her voice, and I was a goner. I _really_ love my wife!

"Try and stop me. When's her next school vacation? It may take longer than just one night to be appropriately contrite. Say, three days non-stop? What do you think?" I'll bet she could visualize the glazed look I was sure to be sporting on my face, and ten'll getcha twenty she was wearing a matching look.

"Oh, my luscious man. You're on! Her teachers have an in-service retreat at the end of next weekend, so she'll be out of school for four days. I just hope whatever you're working is finished by then. If not, she's going to Celia's come hell or high water. You got that?" All this in a 'don't argue with me, because it's gonna happen' tone of voice. Damn this woman knocks my socks off!

"It's a deal. Ric should be there soon, and I'll see you shortly after, okay? Tell Mia to pick a couple of movies and bring them. 'Bye baby!" One way or another, I was sleeping with my wife tonight!

I shut my phone, wearing a shit-eating grin, I'm sure. Plan A was now in motion to get to the bottom of Bomber's behavior, and possibly ending Ric's bachelor days. I couldn't wait. Ric would _really_ owe me now!

I looked up to see Bobby coming down the stairs, a worried frown on his face. Man, I hope that didn't mean something really bad was wrong with Bomber.

I followed him into the kitchen, where he was filling a tea kettle with water and setting it on the stove to heat. He was basically ignoring me, the frown still evident. He better be just fucking with my head!

"Well? How is she? What's wrong with her?" I said impatiently.

He shot me a look, then turned to open the cupboard, taking out a box of saltine crackers and a canister of tea bags. He moved over to another cupboard and took out a small plate, setting it on the counter next to the crackers while he waited for the water to boil. "She's throwing up, and she's dehydrated. I think she's still in shock. She's had more thrown at her the last couple of days than she's been able to process, and it's taking it out on her body. She should be okay by dinner time if I can get her to keep the tea and crackers down. You call Mari yet?" He looked up at me as he asked, his hands busy arranging the crackers on the plate.

I walked over to the cupboard next to the sink and took down a large coffee mug, grabbing a spoon out of the drawer as I passed. I handed it to Bobby, leaning up against the counter next to the plate while he took two teabags out of the box and dropped them into the mug.

"Yeah. She'll have Mia ready to go in a heartbeat. Ric should be getting there anytime now. I told her Mia could pick out a couple of movies and bring 'em. You up to playing Uncle and making it a movie night after I help her with her homework?" I smirked.

He grinned. "Yeah, but if she brings a chick flick I'm outa here! You and Ric can hold down the fort for a couple of days!"

"I don't think so, buddy! I've been here since we brought her up, so it's your turn. You just got here this morning. Besides, Mari had plans for us tonight, _which_ I had to cancel them so we could get to the bottom of what's going on with Bomber. Your turn to take one for the team!" I grinned again. Mia wanted to see that new Madagascar movie that was just out, and the thought of Bobby watching the animated movie while pretending to be interested had me laughing inside. Bobby can't pretend worth a shit when it came to my daughter!

The tea kettle on the stove started to whistle, effectively ending our conversation. I stood back and watched as Bobby poured the steaming water into the mug, setting it on a tray he pulled out from underneath the breakfast bar. He added the plate of crackers and a couple of napkins, along with a small bowl of sugar and a container of creamer. I quirked an eyebrow as he looked up at me.

"Nope, you hang out down here. I get the feeling she thinks you're pissed at her, and she doesn't need any more stress today. Why don't you call Ric and ask him if he's bringing dinner or wants us to throw something together with what we have here? You can move your stuff into the spare room with the double bed while you're at it. I doubt Mari wants to sleep in a twin tonight. I'll bunk in with Ric in the other spare, and we can put Mia on the sofa. I think I should hang around tonight in case Bombshell keeps throwing up." He picked up the tray and headed up the stairs, leaving me standing in the kitchen feeling about two feet tall.

I guess I did come down kinda hard on her there. I was hoping she'd blurt out what was bothering her, since that's been her modus operandi ever since I've known her. I've never seen her hold something in this long, although I'm sure there were still depths to the lovely Miss Plum that none of us had ever reached. I don't think even Ric knew everything that went on in that ever-active mind of hers.

I sighed and rubbed my hands over my face. My cousin probably wasn't gonna be too happy with me when he got back with my family.

Time to do some damage control.

Tbc

Word count 1929 without title and disclaimer


	20. Chapter 20 Ranger's POV

Disclaimer: See the previous chapters. Thank you thank you thank you to Kym for the ultra-fast beta job on this one. You be the bomb, woman! As always, a special thanks to BB for just being herself. My second response to Sue's Toothache challenge on PP & BB.

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 20

Ranger's POV

I NODDED AT RAM. He got up and left the room and went into his den where he had a copy of the file that included all of our evidence, including the pictures taken from the various crime scenes. He'd locked it in his safe to keep prying eyes away from the contents; mainly my sisters'. This was the copy we would be presenting to the District Attorney's office, along with the original tape of Morelli and Benny Carlucci that Lindy Udink had recorded just before seeking our protection. We'd keep a notarized copy of the tape as well as the entire file as a backup.

I stood thumbing the file that my Babe's father had been studying. Even on it's own it was pretty damning, but the D.A. would need _everything_ we had uncovered, and not just the sugar-coated version we'd constructed for Frank Plum's perusal. The man was angry enough as it was; I wasn't too optimistic that his control would've been as strong if he'd seen the file in it's entirety. _I_ was barely holding on as it was.

I looked up as Ram came back into the room with the file, which he set down on the table. Next to the file he placed a metal briefcase in which we would transport the evidence. We'd had this briefcase specially constructed, where nothing short of a nuclear bomb could destroy it. It was fireproofed and lead-lined to protect the contents, and had an intricate locking system that would be nearly impossible to bypass. Unless you knew the codes, you weren't opening it.

I checked the complete file quickly, making sure it held everything the D.A. would need for the indictment, then placed the contents into the briefcase. The tape and photos were secured in the folder in special pockets in the file, where they would be protected against distortion or magnetic scanning. We couldn't take any chances on corrupted evidence.

I sealed the briefcase, then nodded to Ram and Marcus. We were ready to go.

The drive to the D.A.'s office was silent; Marcus had accompanied me, but I had to put my foot down when Ram made as if to join us. He needed sleep, and I needed to avoid another lecture from my sister.

We arrived at the county court building where Brian MacAllister, a good friend of mine, had his offices. Brian was the District Attorney who would be receiving the evidence we'd collected, as well as prosecuting the case we'd built. I didn't want this one delegated down to an assistant. I wanted the case prosecuted right, without any slip-ups or loopholes that had become common with the many assistants that passed through his offices. He was also a closet fan of my Babe's, and wasn't very happy when I had approached him just two weeks ago with our suspicions about Morelli's involvement in the attacks she'd withstood.

I parked the SUV around the back in the secure lot where most of the government employees parked. The lot was patrolled with armed guards (Rangeman, of course) during business hours to protect the cars against tampering, as well as surprise attacks when defendants felt they needed to threaten the prosecutors and sometimes even the public defenders assigned to their cases.

Marcus and I exited the vehicle and walked confidently up to the secured entrance where we were summarily admitted. We were given ID badges that allowed us access to pretty much any part of the building we wished, then directed to follow a uniformed escort up to Brian's office. In most cases this wasn't normal procedure, but given the nature of our business today, it was a precaution that seemed justified. We had no way of knowing who might be waiting to delay us if the cop or one of his informants were able to discern our purpose there. It was better to be cautious.

We reached Brian's office and were immediately shown in. Evidently he had been prepared for our visit by having someone keep an eye out for us. Either that or he'd seen us pull in himself.

Brian was eyeing the metal briefcase I held in my hand, a look of distaste marring his normally genial features. He didn't like finding out there was a bad cop operating in his jurisdiction, and even worse, finding out that that cop had murdered several people and was threatening someone he considered a definite asset to the community. Especially when said cop was one he'd worked with closely and respected. It was a bitter pill for him to swallow.

"Who's this?" he asked, indicating Marcus. Usually when I have someone accompanying me, it's Tank. Marcus wasn't dressed in Rangeman black; his Armani suit was a dead giveaway that he didn't work for me. At least in the capacity that was expected.

"Brian MacAllister, meet Marcus Manoso. Marcus works for the FBI. _He_ can explain his interest as an agent. Right now he's here as my brother." Marcus stepped forward and shook Brian's hand, nodding towards me and the briefcase.

"Considering that your officer is involved with a member of the Grizolli Family, my boss and I felt it would be in everyone's best interest if an FBI agent was available to assert our interests if the evidence warranted it. Right now," he shrugged his shoulders "I'm here as a Rangeman liaison to the FBI, _and_ Ric's brother." Marcus stepped back, taking a relaxed but alert stance.

"Good to meet you. I suppose that" Brian pointed to the briefcase "is the evidence you've accumulated?" His tone was resigned. Little did he know it was worse than we'd all anticipated. He sighed after taking in the nod of my head. "Well, let's see what we've got." He indicated for me to open the briefcase, so I laid it on his desk, right in the middle where it was the center of focus. I entered in the codes and lifted the lid, standing across from him as I observed him gingerly remove the contents in front of him. I should probably let him know about the backup file, just in case.

"Just so you know," I stated in a low voice, "we have certified copies of everything you have there. Should anything happen to this evidence, the copies can be used in lieu of any missing information." I wanted him to realize that nothing was going to be allowed to mysteriously disappear, thereby causing a mistrial, or worse yet, insufficient evidence to indict and prosecute. There was no way I was letting the cop get away with it now. Too many people had already suffered, my Babe most of all.

"Why would you need to keep copies? You know damn well I'd never compromise a case like this!" He wasn't real happy at my revelation, and the beginnings of his full-blown Scottish temper began to emerge.

"It's not you I don't trust, Brian. Unfortunately, there's an awful lot of people who work here that owe Morelli a favor, and I wouldn't bank on part or all of that evidence to not be either missing or altered in some way. I won't take _any_ chances on not being able to bring him up on charges and prosecuting him. Mark my words, the evidence here _will_ convict him. And the copies I've got secured will ensure that. I won't tolerate him hurting one more person I care about, nor will I allow him to keep terrorizing those that can't protect themselves. No more chances, Brian." I probably said that a little more forcefully than necessary, but it got my point across.

"What do you mean, _you_ won't tolerate him hurting another person, _you_ won't allow him to terrorize anyone? What are you up to, Ranger?" The temper he'd reined in when I assured him I trusted him began to ratchet up a notch again. It was time he knew exactly what lengths I was willing to go to guarantee the safety of Steph and her loved ones, not the mention those on the street who had no defense against the likes of Morelli. Far too many of those 'street' people were depending on me and my men to keep them safe from the cop and his allies, especially since they'd put themselves out there to help us acquire a good portion of the evidence, as well as pointing us in the right direction when we weren't sure which way to go next. I couldn't let them down any more then I could my Babe.

"I mean, Brian, that if he gets off, or if for some reason he can't be indicted or convicted, I'll take him out my own way, and you'll never find the body. And I'm only slightly less pissed than Frank Plum. That file is a guaranteed conviction. That's how thorough our investigation was. That's how sure I am that our witnesses against him are credible. Believe me, Brian, you don't want Morelli getting off." My face was blank and my voice expressionless. I was never more serious, and he knew it.

"You'll 'take him out? I can believe you'd actually kill the man, but I can't believe you'd stand here beforehand and tell me what you'll do if he isn't convicted! Where the fuck is your head at?" He started pacing behind his desk, running his hands through his hair in frustration.

"I won't set him up, and I won't antagonize him, but when he goes for his next victim, or makes a move on Stephanie, which he will if given half a chance, I _will _kill him. Or Frank Plum will, if he gets to him first. His last real opportunity to hurt her is documented in that file. Her father and I will make sure of that." The quiet menace I'd injected into my voice stopped him cold.

"What could Frank Plum possibly do to stop him? The man's a retired postal worker, for chrissake! He drives a taxi! How the hell does he expect to deal with Joe Morelli?" he asked incredulously.

"You don't want to underestimate Frank Plum, Brian. This is his daughter we're talking about. _His child_. He's seen the evidence; he knows _everything_ now. He knows all about the phone calls, the threats, the 'accidents'." He needed to understand how seriously fucked he would be if he didn't put on the case of his life. I wasn't telling Brian any of this to threaten him, but he _did_ need to understand it wasn't just me he was dealing with anymore. "He's seen most of those photographs in there. He's read the depositions. The only thing I didn't show him were the rather graphic pictures of the cop's assignations with his Mob mistress, as well as the photos showing the bruising Stephanie suffered from that 'attempted rape'. Trust me, you _don't_ want to let him even know those exist until Morelli's safely behind bars."

Brian sat down heavily into his office chair, leaning his head back in defeat. "**You're a pain in my ass**, you know that, Ranger?"

I grinned. "You haven't seen how much of a pain I can be, Brian." I wiped the smile from my face, showing only my trademark blank look. "Read the file, look at the pictures, listen to the tape. Then imagine that's your daughter Katie. You'll understand then."

Brian nodded. "You want to hang out here while I go over this, or do you trust me to study it by my lonesome?" He grinned at that, which brought an answering twitch of my lips in return. He knew damn well how much trust I had in him, and it wasn't given lightly. Very few people could say the same.

"We'll leave you to it. Any questions as to the veracity of anything, you can verify it with Gazarra. He's been instrumental in gathering the evidence from three of the witnesses, even though one of them is dead and one we've been unable to locate. He's also been keeping an eye on the one still in lockup that I'm having bailed out as we speak. He'll be in the protective custody of my men until he's needed. Anything else comes up, I'm a phone call away. That work for you?" I was hoping he'd be agreeable. I really wanted to get back to the safe house, and my Babe.

He nodded, and I breathed an inner sigh of relief.

"One last thing, Brian. Lock your doors." He looked puzzled. "Morelli's got eyes everywhere, including here at the courthouse. Trust _no_ one, unless you can vouch with certainty as to their alliances. It could mean your life, and that of your family's too."

His eyes widened at the last sentence. Undoubtedly the ramifications of prosecuting this case, hell even being in possession of the evidence he now had, obviously hadn't occurred to him before. He'd be thinking about it now.

I turned to leave, locking the door behind me as Marcus preceded me out. I nodded to Brian's secretary as we passed her desk, overhearing him tell her on the intercom that he wasn't to be disturbed for the rest of the afternoon. Good. He was giving this case the serious consideration it deserved, not that I'd had any doubts that he would.

We walked out of the courthouse side by side in silence. There really wasn't much either of us could say at that point, and certainly not where there was the possibility of being overheard. I remoted the alarm off and the doors unlocked as we reached the Cayenne; I was getting anxious to be on my way. I still needed to pick up Mari and Mia, and then we could head out to the safe house. First things first, though.

"Am I dropping you back at Jason's or what?" I glanced at Marcus.

He shook his head. "Nope. I gotta meet your Stephanie. Besides, Lester's there, right?" I nodded my head and he continued. "I haven't seen his ugly mug in ages, so if you don't mind, I'll tag along with you." He stopped as my cell rang. It was Lester's ring tone. I felt my gut clench as I flipped open my phone.

"Yo!"

"You wanna pick up something for dinner, or would you rather throw something together with what we have here? We're gonna have more people than we anticipated." There was a note in his voice I couldn't place. Was something wrong with Steph?

"Something on your mind, Les?" Please God let everything be all right with her. She couldn't take much more.

"Bomber's not eating. Thought maybe you could pick up something to tempt her with. Bobby's with her now." He was definitely leaving out more than he was saying. He _will_ elaborate when I get there. Or else.

"I'll call in an order to Rossini's and pick it up after I get Mari and Mia. We'll talk when I get there." I closed my phone and tossed it to Marcus.

"Call Rossini's and order for seven. We're picking up Les's wife and daughter and bringing them back with us. Female company would be good for Steph." I added as I noted his questioning look. "Mia likes the spaghetti, and Steph loves the Fettuccini Alfredo with sausage. Oh, and Tiramisu, don't forget that. She loves that." A small smile lifted the corners of my mouth at the memory of my Babe eating one of her favorite desserts. Her moans as she savored the flavors…I shook my head. "You know what I like, as well as the Lester and Bobby. Get whatever you want for yourself."

Marcus grinned, then dialed the restaurant. From the sound of it, he was _really_ hungry.

We made it to Lester's house in just under fifteen minutes, encountering little or no traffic. He and his family resided in an exclusive gated community located on the outskirts of Trenton, his home incidentally located on the block over from mine. The one my Babe would inevitably label as 'The Batcave'. That is, if she even spoke to me again.

The front door opened as the Cayenne glided to a stop, and a blur dressed in jeans, tennis shoes and a purple T-shirt shot out the door, sliding to an abrupt halt as Mia reached my door. I grinned as she started talking excitedly, her face flushed and her eyes sparkling.

"Uncle Ric! Mom says we're having dinner at your house and spending the night! My dad's there, right? And Uncle Bobby? Oh wow! Uncle Marcus! When did you get here? Are you coming with us? I gotta tell Mom!" With that she whirled around and flew back into the house, yelling for her Mom.

Lester's daughter Mia was the spitting image of her mother, with the exception of her light green eyes. Those she got from her Dad, along with his wicked sense of humor. She had her mother's dark reddish brown hair and pale complexion, but the addition of her father's Latin blood allowed her skin to tan easily, whereas Mari would freckle when exposed to the sun for long periods of time. Mia would grow into a beautiful woman like her mother, and I didn't envy Lester when the time came to start vetting her boyfriends. She was already a heartbreaker.

Marcus and I both got out of the SUV and followed Mia into the house, stopping in the entryway when Mari hurried into view. A smile lit up her face when she spotted my brother standing next to me, a smirk on his face.

"Marcus! How have you been? What are you doing here? How long are you staying? Oh it's good to see you!" She rushed forward and engulfed him in a hug, turning to me and giving me the same greeting. "Ric! I'm so glad you invited us join you tonight. I'll actually get to spend the night with my husband, and _finally_ get to meet Stephanie!" She then lowered her voice, speaking into my ear so that only I could hear her. "Lester said you could use some help from a woman's point of view. We'll work out your payment when you put your ring on her finger." She pulled away, a mischievous grin shaping her mouth. She _would_ make me pay, too. I should have known better than to trust Lester on this.

"Have you got your bags ready Mari? We've got to pick up dinner on the way back." I was getting more anxious by the minute. That tone in Lester's voice worried me. Not to mention the news that Stephanie wouldn't eat. She never turns down food!

"Yup. All set to go. Our bags are on the sofa. I'll just lock up, okay?" she said over her shoulder as she went through the kitchen to lock the back door and secure the French doors in the dining room. Marcus followed her to check the windows in the rest of the house as well the garage door.

I went into the living room and picked up their bags from the sofa, going back outside to stow them in the cargo area behind the back seats. As I was closing the hatch Mia came racing outside, having donned a lightweight jacket over her T-shirt. She was smiling as she grabbed the handle to the back door and swung it open, jumping inside and closing the door with a snap. I chuckled. Apparently, she wasn't taking a chance that I'd change my mind, not that I would.

Marcus and Mari soon exited the house, setting the alarm and locking the door behind them. They piled into the Cayenne, Marcus smirking and getting into the back next to Mia when Mari opened the front passenger door and slid in before he could get ahead of her. I guess that meant Mari was going to start the interrogation, leaving my brother to keep her daughter occupied in the back.

No sooner had we started down the drive when Mari started in, questioning me about my failed attempt to let Stephanie know how much she meant to me. I explained to her what had occurred, as well as my Babe's reactions. She snorted when I told her about Stephanie suddenly developing a blank face, chastising me when I complained I couldn't tell what she was thinking anymore, nor what she was feeling.

"You are such a dope, Ric! Don't you know she was protecting herself? Trying to mask her hurt? I can't believe you haven't realized what she was doing before now. She's doing exactly what you do!" she finished, exasperated.

That stopped me for a moment. Fuck! She was! How could I have been so blind not to see what she was doing? It made perfect sense. Stephanie had been around me long enough to know when I was hiding my feelings. I always used my blank face to mask my emotions, never letting anyone, especially her, see how deeply I cared about her, or how much it killed me every time she went back to the cop.

Trust Mari to see things so clearly without even having met Steph. At least now part of the puzzle was solved. All that was left was for Mari to figure out the next part; find out why my Babe had reacted the way she did when I told her I loved her and wanted her in my life. What if she was trying to tell me it wasn't possible?

I wasn't sure I wanted to know the answers.

tbc

Word count without title & disclaimer: 3594


	21. Chapter 21 Bobby's POV

Disclaimer: Nope, nada, zilch. I wish! Massive thanks to Kym for the awesome beta job! Special thanks to BB, for keeping me true to my story. This is my third response to Sue's Toothache challenge on BB.

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 21

Bobby's POV

AFTER MAKING SURE BOMBSHELL drank the tea and downed some crackers, I made my way downstairs to find Lester sitting on one of the stools with his head in his hands. Knowing him as I do, I'd say he was feeling like shit for being so pissy to Steph. I could empathize with him there, 'cause no matter what she does, it's hard to say anything even remotely unfriendly to her. She's too sweet to be anything else.

On the other hand, I'd like to smack him for making her cry…so I did…right on the back of the head.

"Hey! What the fuck was that for?" Lester yelped, rubbing the spot where I smacked him.

"You made Bombshell cry. Why do you think? And that's not even _close_ to what Ric's gonna do to you when he finds out. What the hell got into you, anyway?" I know I sounded irritated. Hell, I _was_ irritated! As if all the shit she's gone through the past few weeks wasn't enough, we lock her in a safe house and pull the rug out from under her by showing her Morelli's true colors. If you add that to her rather spectacular meltdown because of Ric, and now Lester's being an asshole, who could blame her for losing it?

"Shit man! I was trying to get her to open up about what happened with Ric earlier. I thought maybe I could find a way to help them smooth things over. I didn't mean to make her cry!" He shot me a look that promised retribution. "What the fuck do you take me for, anyway?"

"A dumbass who doesn't know what the hell he's doing, that's what! How Mari puts up with your shit is beyond me." I shot back. He better hope he makes up with Steph before Ric gets back. Otherwise shit is gonna hit the fan. I just hope Ric doesn't make me help him hide the body. Lester's too damn big to drag his dead ass around looking for a burial spot. Hmm…maybe the Pine Barrens would work. Nothing ever gets found out there once it's lost…

That got me thinking. Elvis Diana hadn't been seen for almost a week now, and now that Roberts' guy who threw the Molotov cocktail at Bombshell's car yesterday had disappeared right after the explosion. What were the chances that one or both of our missing witnesses/scumbags were out there either lost or dead? I guess it couldn't hurt to have some of the guys take a look-see.

I pulled out my phone, ignoring Lester's apprehensive look. The dumbass probably thought I was calling Ric to rat him out. Serves him right!

"Yo big man! Got an idea. Diana's been missing for almost a week, right? And Roberts has disappeared. Think we might be looking in the wrong place?" The more I thought about it, the more appealing the idea became.

"What's on your mind, Bobby?" Tank sounded a lot more interested now than when he answered the phone. I knew he was itching to lay his hands on Roberts, and if we could find him, or Diana, the cop would never see daylight as a free man again.

"The 'Barrens', man. The mob uses it all the time, and Morelli's been banging Vito's niece. Could be where he's making them disappear. Plus he knows the area. Connie at the bonds office once told me that when he was in high school he used to take girls out there where he wouldn't get caught and pop their cherries." At the time I didn't think much of the information, but now…

"You may have something there. I'll send some teams out there now. If your hunch is right, and we do find one or both of them, we may be able to get Morelli's bail denied." _Yeah, if either of them was still alive._ I didn't want to say that out loud though. Tank took it personally when our witnesses got dead. Their lives were his responsibility.

I closed my phone and looked at Lester, observing the grin he was now sporting. I guess he liked the idea too.

"I'll bet you Diana's out there, if not both of them. The cop probably put the hurt on Diana, though. He'd be safe to just let Roberts stumble around until he collapsed if he gave him a bag of weed to tide him over for a while." He slapped me on the back in congratulations. Probably it was a bit premature…but, who knows. "Nice going, man."

"Let's hold off on the 'nice goings' until we find out if my hunch pays off. I wouldn't want to get anyone's hopes up on a 'maybe'. We all know that even a good idea doesn't always pan out, and I'd especially hate to get Ric's hopes up until we get confirmation one way or the other. So not a word to him, okay?" Lester looked at me contemplatively for a moment and then nodded his head in acquiescence. I breathed a slow sigh of relief and flopped onto a stool next to him, resting my arms on the countertop.

"You know, Bombshell will probably be awake in a while. Why don't you go up and check on her and see if you can make nice and apologize for being such an ass?" I watched his face as I said this, looking for signs of…what? Remorse? Contrition? He sighed.

"Yeah, I should probably apologize to her for being a jerk. The whole thing backfired on me. I was hoping she'd blurt out what was wrong, like she usually does." He ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "I don't know, Bobby. Something has changed with her. She's not acting normal. Well, for her anyway."

I snorted. "You expect normalcy after all the shit she's been through? C'mon, Les, cut her some slack! Besides, when has she ever acted, or_ reacted_, like we anticipated? She marches to a different beat, just like us. Morelli and the rest of the 'Burg? They've never understood that. Ric does, which is why they both need each other. They _get _each other! But she's still a woman, so I guess your idea of bringing Mari in to see what she can find out is probably the best idea I've ever heard you come up with." He smirked at that. "Don't let all this go to your head. I still think you're a dumbass!"

"Yeah, and Ric's still gonna kick my ass, if Mari doesn't shoot me first. How long do you think I should wait before I go up there and lay my dick on the sacrificial chopping block?" I grinned; the visual of Lester laying his dick on a block while Bombshell stood over him with an axe had a lot of appeal right about now. I decided to let him sweat a little.

"Well, Ric should be back in couple of hours or so, so I suggest you do it before then. I wouldn't go up there too soon, though. You know what she's like when you wake her up too soon. You'd have to do more than apologize to her. I'd say offering to escort her crazy Granny to viewings for the next century would be a start." I laughed at the look of horror on his face. I'll bet his nuts were shriveling up and retracting into his body for safety at my suggestion, his dick in hot pursuit. Come to think of it, mine seemed like it agreed.

I'd been reading a chapter on the clinical symptoms of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) a couple of hours later when I noticed Lester get up off the sofa where he'd been 'meditating'. Probably more like scheming on ways to apologize to Bombshell, if he was smart. He walked reluctantly up the stairs, looking for all the world like he was heading to his own execution. _**This is going to hurt**_, and _**Tylenol is not going to help **_this situation. At all!

I thought momentarily about sneaking up to listen at the door, then figured he was gonna be embarrassed enough with all the sucking up he had to do. Not that I was reticent at embarrassing him. It just didn't seem right to gather blackmail ammo at Steph's expense.

Nearly half an hour later, when I was deep into a description about psychotic behavior observed in long-term sufferers of untreated PTSD, Lester came down the stairs walking a little bit more energetically than he'd gone up. I quirked an eyebrow in question as he met my gaze.

He nodded his head affirmatively, then walked over to the coffee maker and started a new pot, keeping his back to me. I thought about smacking him again because he was stalling, and I knew it.

"Well? How'd it go?" I asked impatiently. Ric was gonna be returning any time now with Mari and Mia, and it was in everyone's best interests if they'd patched things up before then.

"I told her I was sorry I was such an ass, and hadn't meant to hurt her feelings. She seemed to forgive me, but she still wouldn't say anything about Ric or what was eating her. I think Mari's gonna be our best bet for getting that info. She didn't look as pale as before though, so I think she's feeling a little better." He shrugged.

He was holding out, but my guess was what he didn't say was more of a personal nature about him and Steph. She'd always been really close to Lester, and being at odds like this was probably adding to the stress she'd been feeling over her misunderstandings with Ric, as well as the whole Morelli thing. That would account for the vomiting and lack of appetite. Those were classic signs, on her part I'm wagering, of the loss of trust of a good friend. The Manoso males were taking their toll on Bombshell.

It wasn't too much later that we heard the sound of a large vehicle on the road leading up to the house. I pulled my gun out of my holster and moved over to the front door, looking through the blinds that covered the window next to the door. Lester had done the same on the other side. We both holstered our weapons, recognizing Ric's Cayenne as it pulled into the clearing in front of the house.

My eyes widened as I recognized Marcus climbing out of the back seat of the SUV. This was unexpected. I looked over at Lester and noted he was just as surprised as I was. Wonder what he was doing here? I smiled as Mia climbed out the other side, almost vibrating in her excitement as she chattered while Ric retrieved two duffle bags from the cargo area. Marcus and Mari got out carrying several bags with the distinctive Rossini's logo on the side. Looks like dinner had arrived as well.

We both holstered our weapons and Lester unlocked the front door and swung it open, striding smoothly down the steps and over to Mari, where he bundled her into his arms and laid a very short but passionate kiss on his wife's lips. By the time he lifted his head, Mia had run over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, greeting him exuberantly.

I'd followed him out the door, but stopped at the top of the steps to the porch as I watched Marcus reach over and slap Lester on the back. The Manosos were a physically demonstrative family, and seldom had I ever witnessed them _not_ touching each other in affection somehow. Even Ric, who was always touching Bombshell in one way or another, thinking he was unobserved. I think even Morelli noticed a lot more than we all now thought. It would explain in part why he'd stepped up his campaign to get her to give up her job and marry him.

They all trooped into the house with me bringing up the rear, Lester laughing as Mia kept up a running commentary about an incident in one of her classrooms at school. She had a real gift for mimicking her teachers and classmates, and more often than not had us all cracking up at her antics. She was definitely her father's daughter, although she seemed to act with a little more discretion than he usually showed. That would be her mother's influence.

Ric set the bags down on the sofa and threw me a questioning glance. I indicated upstairs which brought a frown to his face. I drew him aside as Lester beckoned the rest of his family into the dining area, busily unpacking the food they'd brought.

"She was pretty upset earlier. Got a little sick, so she's been napping. I think it's from stress and worry." I paused for a moment, then decided to bit the bullet. "This thing with you isn't helping, Ric. It needs to stop now, before it causes permanent damage." The tone of my voice brooked no argument.

He nodded his head and let out a sigh. "I know, Bobby. I just don't know how to fix it. I thought she'd be happier if I finally laid out my feelings, but she didn't react like I thought she would. If anything it seemed to push her further away." He ran his hands over his face in frustration. "I hope to God Mari can get her to open up, or at least point me in the right direction with what to say to her. Hell, I'm not sure if I should even try. I seem to screw things up worse with every attempt. I don't want to lose her friendship too, Bobby. I can't lose what little I've got left."

"How about if I go up and see if she's feeling better? Maybe I can coax her downstairs to eat with us. That way Bombshell can meet Mari before she corners her and starts digging. We wouldn't want her to feel ambushed, right?" Mari could rival the Nazis when it came to interrogation, and she didn't pull punches. Bombshell wouldn't know what hit her.

"Yeah." He got quiet, thinking, no doubt. "Mari says she's using that blank face to hide behind. Like I do."

I chuckled. "You think?" I grinned and turned towards the stairs, stopping when Ric's hand caught my arm. I looked back at him.

"Don't push her, okay? I don't want her thinking she doesn't have a choice. I've taken enough of those away from her lately" he added somberly.

I nodded. "If I'm not mistaken, she's gonna start pushing back. When she does, keep your head out of your ass and _listen_ to her, you got me? She needs to get some control back. Let her do that." He nodded in agreement and released my arm. I went up the stairs to resume my 'mission'; getting our Bombshell back.

I stopped outside the door and rapped softly, hearing a muffled "come in" before turned the handle and opening the door. She was sitting on the side of the bed, clearly apprehensive until she recognized me. I smiled reassuringly at her.

"You hungry yet, Steph? We've got goodies from Rossini's for you." I grinned as I heard a growl coming from her stomach, her face grimacing.

"Yeah, I'm starved now. Thanks Bobby. Let me just wash my face and I'll be down." She got up and went into the bathroom, where I heard the faucet turn on. I walked over to her hamster's cage and looked in. Rex had been running on his wheel, but stopped and looked up at me with his beady little eyes when I spoke.

"Hey little guy! Getting your laps in?" I chuckled when he resumed running, completely ignoring me. I'd love to know what he thought of all the shit he'd seen and heard since coming to live with Bombshell. I'd lay odds it would be one hell of a story!

Steph walked back into the room, looking surprised that I was still there, but at the same time relieved. I held out my arm and she hooked it with her own, giggling as we started out the door and down the stairs.

We reached the bottom of the staircase and stopped, all eyes locking onto us. I felt her tense slightly when she realized that not only had Ric returned, but there were several people in the room she didn't know. I don't think she'd feel so self-conscious if it wasn't so obvious they were all related to Ric. At least she wasn't facing the whole clan all at once!

Ric came forward and placed his hand on the back of her neck in a gentle caress, mostly in reassurance I think, but just as much a need to be touching her. I felt her start and look up into his face, seeming to relax a little at the affectionate expression on his face. I slipped my arm out from hers and joined the others in the room, giving them a moment of semi-privacy.

They both came over and joined us, Ric keeping her close to his side with a possessive hand on her waist. This would probably be for Marcus's benefit, since his brother was opening admiring her. I caught the mischievous glint in his eye as he took in the very obvious point that Ric was making to him.

"Babe, I'd like you to meet my brother Marcus." She stepped forward timidly and let Marcus take her hand, which he lifted to his mouth and caressed the back with his lips. I heard a low growl as Ric hissed "Mine" at him. Bombshell stepped back and returned to Ric's side, pink suffusing her face at Marcus's gesture. Looked like he was taking a turn at playing the lech, since his cousin couldn't very well do so with his family present. He turned her towards Lester and Mari, Mia tucked up against her dad.

"This is Marissa, Lester's wife, and Mia, their daughter." This time she was a little more confidant, mostly due to the fact that Mari's smile was welcoming, whereas Marcus's was more lecherous. They shook hands, Lester's wife murmuring "call me Mari" and smiling at each other the way women do when they meet someone they liked immediately. Their response to each other boded well for their talk later on.

The moment of 'bonding' was broken as Mia piped up. "Can we eat now, Uncle Ric? I'm starving!"

We laughed and trudged into the dining area where the bags of food sat waiting. As soon as the first bad was opened, Bombshell moaned appreciatively as the aroma drifted out. I almost laughed out loud at the look of surprise on Marcus's face. He'd obviously never met someone who rivaled his appetite for good food. The rest of us, with the exception of Mari and Mia, were used to it.

We all took a seat and dug in, although Lester and I were paying more attention to Marcus than our food, waiting for his reaction when Steph took her first bite. We weren't disappointed!

When Steph realized she'd been a little more vocal than she'd thought and noticed we'd stopped eating, she flushed pink with embarrassment. All of us with the exception of Marcus were grinning. I almost started laughing out loud because his jaw was practically in his lap as he stared in amazement. Mia was giggling, happily winding spaghetti around her fork and shoveling it into her mouth (as ladylike as she could so she wouldn't attract comment from her parents) as the rest of us carried on eating. I was looking forward to the dessert, when Steph would _really_ get vocal. I could see Ric was also anticipating his brother's reaction. It was everything we anticipated and more!

After we finished eating and clearing the table, we moved into the living room where we all settled on the sofa and easy chairs that were scattered about the room. We'd barely seated ourselves when Mari piped up, asking Bombshell if she could speak with her privately, assuring her she 'didn't bite' when Steph looked apprehensively at her.

I glanced at Ric as the ladies got up and left the room, his eyes following their progress up the stairs. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was dreading what Mari would learn.

I hoped those feelings would be unfounded. For both their sakes.

tbc

Word count without title and disclaimer: 3422


	22. Chapter 22 Steph's POV

Disclaimer: You know the drill! Thanks Kym for the awesome beta job, and BB for the encouragement to start this story in the first place.

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 22

Steph's POV

I WALKED UP THE stairs apprehensively. Lester's wife trailed behind me as I led the way to my bedroom. Correction: the bedroom I'd been allocated for my stay here. I really hoped she wasn't going to grill me about my relationship with Ranger, because I wasn't even sure if we even _had_ a relationship anymore. I hoped we still had one. His behavior downstairs earlier said we did, but then he'd always pretty much acted that way, even when I was with Joe…he seemed a lot more possessive in front of his family, though. _Oh my God, His family! What did this mean?_

I sat down in one of the two chairs that were arranged next to the fireplace across the room from the bed, figuring our 'chat' was going to be a little more formal than those I usually had with my best friend, Mary Lou. For those I liked to sprawl out on the bed in my thinking position.

She took the chair opposite me and curled into it, tucking her feet under her as if our upcoming conversation was a daily ritual. She studied me for a moment, which had me squirming uncomfortably. I usually hated to be submitted to such close scrutiny as she was subjecting me to then, because from the manner in which she was watching me, she obviously knew more about me than I knew about her…absolutely zilch. I wondered just what she _did_ know, aside from what she'd probably read about me in the paper. Some of those stories weren't exactly complimentary, even though they hadn't been my fault.

I started as she began speaking; I'd been so lost in contemplation that I'd almost forgotten I wasn't alone. I could hear Ranger's voice in my head saying "need to be more aware of your surroundings, Babe".

"Don't look so scared, Steph. I'm not gonna put you under a microscope. I just want to get to know you without the guys interrupting every other sentence. In other words, a little girl talk." She grinned at the startled look on my face. "My husband's probably the worst of the bunch, but judging by Ric's behavior, I'd say he'd run a close second. And Marcus would want to get his two cents worth in too. He loves to goad Ric." She chuckled at that.

"Uh, okay." I'm such a scintillating conversationalist!

"First of all, I don't pay much attention to the papers. They're notorious for distorting the facts about everything, from the weather to who's been arrested for what. Most of what I _do_ know has come from the guys and Lester. He's a big fan of yours', you know." She was smirking when she spoke.

Oh great! I can just hear the things that rat Lester was probably saying. I'll bet she never stops laughing at the stupid things that happen to me. I imagine she's heard the stories that were circulating through the 'Burg about me, too. Sometimes those were even less accurate than the newspapers.

"Um, what have you heard? The funeral home wasn't my fault!" That came out a little more forcefully than I'd intended, but I was in no way prepared for this. She was Lester's wife, and Ranger's cousin, for chrissake!

She laughed. "Actually I thought you were pretty amazing there. Tank and Hal told me what really happened since I couldn't get the details out of Ric. He was still pretty shell-shocked that you were almost killed back then. Kenny Mancuso was a real piece of work, though. Hard to believe he and Spiro were trying to smuggle guns and sell them around here. I imagine Alexander was pretty relieved when you exposed them. One less problem he would've had to deal with."

I was flabbergasted. "You knew Kenny and Spiro? And Alexander Ramos? How?" I studied her face. She didn't look familiar, like she was from the 'Burg. Was I so out of touch about what was going on around me the past few years that I hadn't noticed her before?

She noticed my confusion. "Only what Lester and the guys have told me. And, Alexander Ramos is my uncle."

Well that explained a lot of things. Not only how she knew so much about the whole mess, but also Ranger's strange (to me) but amiable working relationship with Trenton's premier gunrunner. I really hoped she didn't work for her uncle, like another well connected relative I'd rather not mention. Just thinking about that part of Joe's deception brought a stab of pain to my chest. Not going there!

She nodded as if understanding my thoughts and continued. "My mother always kept our family far removed from my uncle's business. I met Lester years ago in Miami before Ric started Rangeman. They were home on spring break from college and had been drinking at the same bar I was dancing at. I was an exotic dancer at the bar." She chuckled at my expression. "I was really rebellious back then. Barely eighteen and wanting to assert my independence. When I locked eyes with Lester, it was love at first sight, and we got married just a few days later, before they had to get back to Rutgers. They were both taking classes there before dropping out and joining the Army together. I'd gone back with them until they shipped out. By then I'd had Mia, so I moved back to Miami with my mom and dad for a while since Lester was gone so often."

"My parents and Uncle Alex were _very_ displeased with me until they got to know him. I don't know what they thought was worse; that I was dancing half naked at a bar then, or that I fell in love and married Lester so soon after meeting him." She shrugged. "I don't regret a single thing. We're still madly in love, and he gave me a beautiful daughter. I only dance privately for him now."

Wow! I could picture her immediately being attracted to Lester; after all, he _was_ really hot. And for all his flirting and innuendos, he really was a warm and caring person. He made me laugh, and I could see how she'd fall in love with him after so little time. I was a little uncomfortable, though. I was starting to like her a lot, so I was a little apprehensive because he was always 'putting the moves' on me, as well as every other attractive woman he came into contact with. I also had a hard time picturing her as an exotic dancer. In the past I'd had the dubious pleasure of hauling in a few FTA's who were employed in that particular profession, and they looked nothing like Mari. She looked so _normal._

"Um, so you don't mind when he flirts with me, with other women? I mean, not that I've ever seen him do anything more than that, but…" I tapered off, not wanting to get Lester in trouble, but all the same, I'd hate to think he was cheating on this really nice woman who was going to great lengths to put me at ease as well as giving me little bits of insight into Lester and Ranger. Especially Ranger.

"Oh, I know all about his flirting. Am I right that he only does it in front of Ric though?" She quirked an eyebrow at me in question. _How does she _do_ that?_

I thought back to all the times he'd acted like a complete lady's man and nodded my head. When we were alone working surveillance or going after skips, he was a perfect gentleman, more like a big brother really. He teased me, sometimes mercilessly, but never inappropriately. When Ranger was present, however…

She giggled. "He loves to goad Ric even more than Marcus does. They've been almost inseparable from the time they were teenagers and went to live with Abuela Rosa. They used to get into everything together; dates, trouble, bars, gangs for a time. Even juvie. That's where they met Pierre, er…Tank. Fortunately they were all given the same ultimatum; join the army or go to jail. End of story." Although she seemed offhand while relating these little tidbits, I was aware of her watching my face closely for a reaction. All she would see was interest. At least, I hoped so.

"They constantly play practical jokes on each other, and are always looking for good blackmail material to use. You won't find three men closer, though, except maybe Celia's husband Jason and Hal, and Bobby too. They're even closer than Ric is with Marcus. The six of them would do anything for each other, so if one's hurting, the others surround him - get his back until he can deal with it again. They can be asses sometimes, but you'll get used to it."

There was a look on her face I couldn't decipher, and I wondered momentarily if she wasn't trying to tell me something. I mentally shrugged, figuring I'd shelve it for later. I wanted to hear more, so I gestured for her to go on.

"Now, what I'm about to ask you might feel like prying, but I assure you it's in your best interests. Please, it you think I'm crossing the line just tell me to mind my own business." She'd leaned forward a bit then, looking at me intently.

I suddenly realized that this next part of the conversation was the real reason she wanted a private chat. I hoped it wasn't about what I think it was, because I was still trying to process everything I'd learned since I'd been brought here and 'detained' yesterday. It seemed like a lifetime ago.

"Um, okay. What did you want to talk about?" I moved in my chair, trying to find a more comfortable position for the upcoming discussion. I finally gave up and tucked my legs underneath me, pretending to copy her relaxed demeanor. Inside I was quaking.

"Are you in love with Ric?" she asked casually.

Good thing I wasn't eating or drinking anything right then, because I would have choked, most likely spewing all over the front of myself. Crap! She doesn't believe in pulling any punches, I guess.

"Um, I…w…why would you ask me th…that?" I sputtered, at a loss to come up with an answer that wouldn't give too much away.

Stalling seemed like a great idea. I didn't think she'd fall for that, though. She had a glint in her eye that, if I wasn't mistaken, meant we were going to talk about this whether I wanted to or not.

"Steph, it's obvious to me that you're hurting, even though we don't know each other. I've gotten pretty good about reading these so-called blank faces the guys like to put on. Yours isn't bad, but honey I can still see a lot of pain there, and I don't think it's all due to what's going on with why you're here. Besides, Ric and I chatted on the way here." She waited expectantly.

She seemed to have a very compassionate way about her, and I found myself telling her everything, from the phone hang-ups to dinner tonight and everything in between. I was in tears almost from the beginning, sobbing harder when I recounted how Ranger had pretended to 'confess' his love to me and then pulled back, showing me how selfish I'd been, along with the realization that he was chastising me for my unforgivable behavior.

She'd handed me a box of tissues somewhere in the middle of my blubbering, never interrupting, but making appropriate exclamations and consolation noises here and there. It was almost a relief to unload all those pent up feelings on someone who didn't seem to have an opinion one way or the other, but still seemed concerned enough to listen to me even though it was clear to me she cared a great deal for her husband's cousin.

After a long while of talking (more like me bawling my eyes out), and her listening, I mopped up my face and fell silent, unsure of what to say next and feeling extremely embarrassed by unloading all my insecurities on her. This was Ranger's cousin, after all, and I was positive she'd think I was mentally unbalanced. She seemed so in control, so sure of herself and her place in her man's life that if I wasn't so miserable I'd be jealous.

She looked at me contemplatively for a moment, shaking her head as if coming to a decision. "Steph, I'm going to explain something to you, and I want you to listen closely, okay?" I nodded hesitantly and she continued.

"When Ric told you he was in love with you he meant it. He really was confessing his love for you. You said you didn't exactly hear everything he said, that your ears were buzzing. Well, I don't think you heard what he was really trying to tell you. I'm betting you kept hearing all those bullshit excuses he's been laying on you over the years and he misunderstood your reaction. He's been miserable, because he thought you were rejecting him. That's why he used that damned blank face - to protect himself." She chuckled again. "I understand you've been guilty of that yourself the past day or so. Am I right?" She wasn't condemning me, more like commiserating with me.

I nodded my head in the affirmative, my brain still stuck on that first sentence. Ranger really loved me? But he didn't _do_ relationships! He _told_ me he'd never do something stupid like marriage or children again, which is why he said I was better off working things out with Joe. _Like that was gonna happen now!_ It wasn't that I really _wanted_ marriage or children, at least not right now. That was the reason I couldn't seem to make myself say yes to Joe's marriage proposal. Well, that and I didn't want to quit my job, as well as being in love with Ranger. I wanted the commitment, the sharing of our thoughts and our lives. _Several Ranger-induced orgasms wouldn't be out of the question either! _So what had changed?

I must have spoken out loud instead of in my head, because Mari was laughing so hard she was clutching her stomach, tears running down her cheeks. I've _got_ to quit doing that!

"Oh Steph, you're priceless! It's no wonder he's so in love with you. You two are halves of the same whole…absolutely clueless when it comes to semantics but totally on the same page. You're perfect for each other!" She let out another peal of laughter, almost falling out of her chair as she doubled over. I narrowed my gaze at her.

Humph…now I was providing comic relief for her too! What is it with these people?

She started to calm down a bit, giggling as she wiped her eyes with a tissue I handed her before folding my arms across my chest defensively. I was just a little hurt, but angrier more than anything else by her laughter at my expense. I was tired of being the joke for everyone.

"I'm sorry, Steph, really! I couldn't help myself. It's just that I've heard that line of his so many times over the years, and now hearing that you want the same from him as he's always wanted from you but was afraid to admit it to you just cracks me up! Seriously. Although I think he might want to alter that scenario just a smidge now. You two really do belong to each other!" She was smiling apologetically, obviously contrite over the thought that she'd hurt my feelings.

I really couldn't stay mad at her then. After all, she'd given me the only thing she could possibly give me that was better than world peace. The one thing I yearned for the most.

Hope.

tbc


	23. Chapter 23 Ranger's POV

Disclaimer: See previous chapters. I'd like to thank Kym for giving me the courage to try my hand at the smut bit. This is my first attempt at smut, so please go easy on me. I would like your opinion, however. Hopefully this fits with Gayle's Love challenge on RW. The section marked with a line is smut, and not necessarily critical to the story. If you like, you may skip down to the next section. Massive thanks to BB for the awesome beta job!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off**– pt 23

Ranger's POV

IT HAD BEEN WELL over an hour since the two women had gone upstairs into my bedroom and closed themselves away from the rest of us. After they'd left the room, I had started pacing behind the sofa in the living room where Lester and Mia were seated to watch the movie. I couldn't relax enough to concentrate on anything other than what was going on up there. Mari had seemed pretty confidant that she knew what was going on with Steph, but I had learned a long time ago never to assume _anything_ when it came to my Babe.

Only a few minutes had passed when Lester banished me to the kitchen, saying I was distracting them from enjoying the movie. I couldn't help myself, though. Everything I now lived and breathed for, _my entire future_, was riding on what Mari would learn from their conversation. I could only pray I had one.

Normally I'm a very patient man. I could sit for hours on surveillance, waiting without so much as a twitch for a skip to show, or lay motionless in the jungle for an endless amount of time, stalking my prey in those instances when I went 'into the wind', as Steph liked to refer to my government missions. Now I couldn't seem to keep from moving around agitatedly, anxious to know my fate. I've never been so nervous in my life.

I've given Steph the most asinine excuses over the years, hoping to push her away so I wouldn't get too involved, so I wouldn't start to care. Fat chance of that happening! I began to care the moment she walked into that diner and pretended a bravado she was far from feeling. She'd been the flame from the moment I looked into her ocean blue eyes, and like a moth I was drawn. Now I couldn't wait to get burned.

When I heard the bedroom door open upstairs I stopped pacing, standing absolutely still in the kitchen doorway as I waited for them to appear on the stairway. I schooled my expression to reflect nothing of what I was feeling, how much this one moment in time would affect the rest of my life.

Mari appeared first, nodding slightly to me before turning her attention to my cousin, who'd walked over to her and looked enquiringly at her face. She smiled and led him over to the sofa, effectively leaving us alone as Steph appeared at the foot of the stairs.

Her face was a little splotchy, her eyes red-rimmed from crying and her nose slightly pink. She never looked more beautiful to me, especially since she was wearing a look on her face that I could only describe as hopeful. Her lips were tilted in the ghost of a smile, her blue eyes wide and searching.

I dropped my blank face, allowing everything I was feeling to show in my eyes, and even more importantly in every muscle of my body. I couldn't move, although I wanted nothing more than to sweep her into my arms and carry her upstairs where I could show her how much I loved her in every way possible. I needed her to make the first move this time.

She took a tentative step towards me, then another, and another, until she stood barely inches from me, her eyes never leaving mine. With her standing so near to me I suddenly had to reach deep inside myself for the strength to keep still then, to force my hands to remain at my sides. I don't think that in all of my life I've ever struggled so much to remain motionless, to wait for something I wanted more than anything in the world.

"Ranger?" Her voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper. It was like a balm to my soul, and it unlocked my body, allowing me to obey my heart.

"Babe." I sighed, and opened my arms, pulling her against me. I suddenly felt peaceful, like I was finally where I was supposed to be, and from the way she snuggled into my embrace and relaxed against me, I got the impression the feeling was mutual. I never felt so complete, so content in my entire life.

We stood there in the kitchen for what seemed like hours, but was probably only more than a few minutes just holding each other tightly. We hadn't spoken another word, just simply soaked up the feel, the scent, the simple presence of one another.

After a time I pulled back, looking down into her face and noticing for the first time that she'd been silently crying. My heart plummeted. Had I misunderstood? No, I couldn't have! Mari had nodded her head and smirked, indicating to me she was right. But then why the tears?

"Babe?" I was looking for reassurance, some sign that we were finally on the same page here, since everything had gone so horribly wrong yesterday. I don't think I'd survive another scene like that again.

"Ranger, we…can we please go upstairs?" Her voice wavered uncertainly. I was in agreement with her there. We definitely needed a lot more privacy than what we could find down here with the others in the next room.

"Yeah Babe. C'mon." I grabbed her hand and tugged her along behind me, making my way quickly up the stairs without even pausing to let the others know where we were heading. They'd figure it out sooner or later. I didn't care if they even noticed our absence anyway.

As soon as I closed the door and turned the lock, I whirled to face her, hauling her back into my arms with the hand I'd refused to release from my grip on the short walk from the kitchen to the bedroom. I wasn't about to let go of her again, not after the eternity I'd spent away from her today.

"I need to tell you something Ranger." Her voice was a bit muffled since she was talking into the front of my chest where I'd practically shoved her face, but I heard her well enough. I reluctantly pulled back a little, allowing her enough room to tilt her head back so she could look at me, and I at her.

Her eyes were big and luminous, standing out starkly against her pale face that was devoid of her usual makeup. I was glad I specifically requested Ella _not_ to include her usual assortment of cosmetics, with the exception of a tube of mascara, when she packed the bag of necessities I'd brought with me to the safe house.

Steph had a natural beauty that far surpassed anything all of that makeup was designed to beautify. The mascara wasn't for enhancement, though. That was for confidence, and my Babe would undoubtedly need as much confidence as we could provide. She _had _included her hair products, however. I know for a fact how crazy her hair could get, as much as I loved her curls.

"Was there something you wanted to tell me, Babe?" She'd been staring into my eyes, watching me intently while I was lost in my thoughts. I saw her hesitate, a bit of uncertainty flashing across her face before something inside her snapped, strengthening her resolve.

"I love you, Ranger." She said softly, then in a slightly louder voice, said "I'm _in_ love with you."

I almost sagged to the floor I was so relieved. It was an effort to let my feelings show on my face, since I'd fought for so long to hide them from everyone, especially from her. Inside, though, I was jumping for joy. _She loved me! _I'd waited for so long to hear those words from her lips that my throat was clogged with more emotion than I'd ever experienced before. I finally managed to clear my throat and say the words I wanted to say for so long, and this time she would believe them.

"I'm in love with you too, Babe. I've loved you forever." I caught and held her gaze, wanting her to understand just how much she meant to me. "You…you taught me what love is, Babe. **If I know what love is, it is because of you.***" My voice wasn't quite as steady as I would have preferred; my bad-ass persona had left the building, and I didn't care. It wasn't important now. All that mattered to me was that she was here, she was safe in my arms, and she loved me.

A strangled sob was her only response as I covered her lips with my own, swallowing the sound as I deepened the kiss hungrily. My fingers were tangled in her hair, holding her head in place while I devoured her lips and my tongue explored her mouth. This connection, this closeness with her was what I'd craved for so long. Finally, there was nothing standing in our way. No guilt, no government contracts, nothing. We were going to do this, and it was going to be better than good. It would be perfect, because this time it was forever.

********************************************RSSmut***********************************************

Our clothes seemed to melt away as we gravitated towards the bed, our mouths eagerly devouring each others'. When one of her hands crept up my neck and curled into my hair, I slid a hand down her hip lightly, cupping her ass. When she moaned, I brought my other hand in her hair gliding down to join the other on her ass, lifting her against me. When she wrapped her legs around me, my arms tightened around her as I laid her gently on the bed, following her down to keep the connection. When she arched into me I ground my hips into her center, letting her feel the hardness there.

I finally broke the kiss, my lips and tongue working their way over her jaw and nuzzling her ear, nipping at the skin I encountered. She buried both of her hands into my hair then, tugging until she brought my mouth back over to hers as her tongue flicked out and touched my lips. I grabbed her tongue with my teeth and sucked it into my mouth, tasting, savoring. Our tongues dueled as our hands began to frantically roam over each other's bodies, seeking out and finding those sensitive places discovered on that one incredible night so long ago.

I let my hands drift back down her body to her hips, dragging my fingers across her skin and with one hand stroked them gently over her center. I slipped a finger inside, hearing her gasp as I stroked and teased. She was so wet! I pulled my lips away and shifted my body lower, running my mouth down her throat and collarbone, nipping the skin and then laving it with my tongue to lessen the sting. I worked my way down, pausing to scrape my teeth over her right breast. She pushed her breast into my mouth, groaning as my right hand moved up to cup her other breast and massage her fullness. I sucked and then bit her nipple gently, my other hand twisting the nipple on her other breast.

She moaned as my hand left her wetness, moving to her hip to grip her firmly, stilling her increasingly writhing body. I released her nipple from my mouth with an audible pop and moved up to cover her lips with mine again, suddenly impatient to bury myself in her warmth. I was so hard I didn't think I could wait a moment longer. I pulled back and looked into her eyes, noting the passion and need reflected there as I positioned myself at her entrance. The tip of my cock brushed against her, causing her to jerk her hips up as she sighed into my mouth, kissing me harder as I pushed into her in one smooth stroke.

I dragged my lips away and kissed her forehead, stilling myself as I let her adjust to my size. When she brought her legs up and wrapped them around my waist, rocking against me, I started to move, sliding almost all the way out before pushing back myself back in to the hilt. The feeling was so incredible, _so right._ I kept up a slow steady pace, reveling in the feel of her body as I glided in and out. I felt her nails move up and dig into my back, signaling her impatience at the rhythm I'd set.

I increased the pace, her hips meeting my thrusts with equal fervor. She raised her legs higher, changing the angle as I slid even deeper inside her. I could feel her walls gripping me, and I groaned at the sensation as I felt her orgasm coming. I continued to thrust, lifting my head just in time to watch as she cried out my name and fell over the edge, her walls tightening and then spasm around me. One last push and I found my own release, my own cries of completion muffled as I buried my face in her neck.

We laid there holding each other as our hearts pounded, our breaths loud and rasping as we fought to control our breathing. I turned my head and touched my lips to hers lovingly, looking into her eyes when she responded.

"Are you okay, Babe?" I asked, concerned when she didn't say anything. She nodded her head, looking back at me steadily. The love I saw there I allowed to reflect back at her, letting her see that this time I wasn't going anywhere, that this was real.

I lifted myself off of her and turned onto my side, pulling her into me with her back against my chest, my arms firmly fastened around her waist. I sighed in contentment as we lay there together, each relaxing as she snuggled into my embrace. I felt like I was finally home.

*******************************************EndRSSmut*********************************************

I woke up as sunlight peeked through a slit in the drapery, barely touching my Babe's cheek as she lay sleeping in my arms. We'd made love all night long and into the early hours of morning; we couldn't get enough of each other. Only when we could barely move did we finally fall into an exhausted slumber, Steph curled up on her side and me pressed firmly against her back.

I watched the slivers of light play across the side of her face, eventually widening as more light made its way into the bedroom. She looked so innocent and peaceful. More content than I'd ever seen her in all the nights I'd broken in and watched her sleep from the chair in her bedroom. With a start I realized that I _had _seen that look of utter contentment on her face once before. It was the morning after that night of the DeChooch deal. That fateful night when she'd ruined me for other women, and the morning after I'd gotten up and walked away, stupidly thinking my obsession with her could end.

What a fucking idiot I was then! I could have saved us both all this suffering if I'd just pulled my head out of my ass and claimed her back then. My Babe suffered the most, though. The Carnation killer wouldn't have had a chance to stalk her then. The Slayers would have known better than to target her. Con Stiva wouldn't have been able to terrorize her, wouldn't have locked her in that coffin and finally that cupboard. Edward Scrog wouldn't have strapped that bomb to her chest, drugged her, and ultimately try to end my life. I was responsible for all she'd gone through, and yet she still loved me. She trusted me with her heart.

I'd spend the rest of my life making it up to her.

tbc

Word count without disclaimer and title: 2632

*quote attributed to Herman Hesse


	24. Chapter 24 Steph's POV

Disclaimer: All the regular bullshit. I'd like to apologize for taking so long with this. My computer finally had a major meltdown, and I lost a lot of files. This response is for the 'Jerry Springer Challenge' on RE. It's not beta'd, so my apologies for the grammar and spelling mistakes. Sorry it's so short. I really am working on more!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 24 Interlude/The morning after…

Steph's POV

I WOKE TO CALLOUSED fingers lightly rubbing small circles on my hip and thigh, the warmth of Ranger's body at my back. I couldn't have been asleep for too long, since the light peeking through the blinds was grayish, as it is in the early morning hours. Usually this time of day a certain heavily muscled Cuban man dressed in shorts and an old T-shirt would drag me out of my bed to go running. Nope. Too early!

I snuggled back into the soft sheets and his hard body, determined to return to dreamland, where there was chocolate, no bad guys, and a sexy mocha latte-skinned mercenary kissing every inch of my body as he did pleasurable things with his fingers.

After a while, when sleep obstinately continued to elude me, snippets of the file I'd read earlier began to float through my head, a kaleidoscope of images flashing across my mind like a slideshow. It hurt terribly that Joe had resorted to such drastic means to manipulate me into doing what he demanded, even though I'd told him countless times to stop trying to force me to choose between him and myself. His comment that he would 'allow' me to work for a short time at the button factory or some other innocuous job until I got pregnant was the straw that broke the camel's back, though. The arguments that ensued from that nice little concession from him had finally taken their toll on my heart, and I had broken up with him…again, just before the hang-ups started. I'd told him it was for good this time, but he'd only laughed and told me I'd be back in his bed before the month was out, since he was sure no one else could handle my inability to become like every other good little 'Burg wife. I'd left in a huff, hurt that he felt that was all my life was expected to be, that he didn't respect me enough to think I might want more, that I deserved more than he was willing to concede to.

I started to remember all the seemingly unconnected events that had been happening the past two weeks; the phone hang-ups, the attempt by Ehrlichman, the note in my car that Elvis Diana put there that had warned me about not being able to stop him, the tampered brakes, the Molotov cocktail that had blown up my CRV and ruined my last pair of new jeans, and finally Ranger, grim-faced and barely controlling the fury that had rolled off him in waves cuffing me and stuffing me into the Explorer with Lester at the wheel.

I still should have been angry about that, but after reading the file and putting into context the series of events that led up to Ranger basically kidnapping me, I couldn't very well stay too mad. After all, he _was_ trying to save my life…_again_, and it had been way too close when my car had exploded and I had barely escaped serious injury. I'd still have to give him a piece of my mind about the tapping of my phones, and especially handcuffing me and sending me to a safe house without at least speaking to me about it first, though. I'd get to that later. I had some questions I wanted answers to first, and although I really didn't want to ruin this comfortable mood we had going on, I knew I wouldn't be able to stay that way for long. I turned my head and looked up at Ranger, finding him watching me with eyes that were soft like dark chocolate and dancing with amusement, a slight almost-grin just barely there at the corner of his mouth. He lifted an eyebrow in question, and then waited for me to speak. Argh! I hate that I can't do that!

"How did you connect everything? How did you know it was Joe behind it all?" I asked quietly, not really dying to know the answer, but curious as to what had led him to zero in on Joe. It didn't really surprise me that he'd picked up on a problem before I even realized it existed, since Ranger had made it a priority to keep a close eye on my daily life almost from the beginning, always making sure I had adequate backup for my more difficult skips when they were more than Lula and I could handle.

Ranger had been studying me as all these thoughts were going through my mind; either he was waiting for me to finish my musings, or he was working out how to explain to me what had led him to those conclusions. I think it was probably the first reason, because he smiled indulgently at me when I looked up at him expectantly and began to tell me just what had tipped him off.

"That night when Ehrlichman attacked you and he was demanding you to quit your job; you two were arguing pretty heatedly. When you yelled at him about his lack of support for you, he backed off too abruptly. I was watching his face, and he seemed to come to some type of inner decision. Something didn't feel right, and his response to the whole confrontation started to bug me. When you started getting those hang-ups and I tapped your phones," this apologetically "the numbers they traced back to were too scattered, too random for it to be just one person, yet every single call was exactly the same time apart, like they were scheduled to occur at precise intervals. Then we started hearing odd things on the street from informants, and they all said the same thing; Morelli was talking to a lot of your old skips that had violent records and telling them he would overlook minor infractions in exchange for certain favors he needed. Favors that seemed odd for a cop of his caliber to ask the type of people he was approaching". Ranger shrugged. "I began to look into his activities. I evenyou're your cousin Eddie checking on a few things, and he started to get some weird comments from a few of his own CI's. Eddie's been working with us from almost the beginning, acting as a liaison for the DA and the witnesses we were able to ascertain were credible," he finished, tucking a stray curl behind my ear.

He shifted around a little bit, adjusting his hold on me to allow me to rest my head on his shoulder and bringing my front up against his side so I'd be more comfortable, his strong arm wrapped around my back to keep me in place and drawing a sigh of contentment from me. I wonder what he'd think if I said I never wanted to move from that bed and him again. He'd probably shoot out of the bed so fast I wouldn't even see him move. All that 'My life doesn't lend itself to relationships" and 'My love doesn't come with a ring, but a condom would come in handy' bullshit.

"I guess we'd have to have Lester serve us our meals in bed." Ranger said, his voice laced with amusement. I cringed. I was sooo gonna die of embarrassment! Just a few hours ago he was avoiding being in the same room with me, and now here I was firmly planted next to him, almost naked, and never wanting to leave. I was such a slut!

"No, Babe. You're not a slut. You're just here where I want you, where you belong, okay? I meant what I said last night." Ranger's voice was husky with emotion, and I felt him brush a kiss across my forehead as his hold on me tightened fractionally.

I felt so elated he wasn't pulling away that it took a few seconds for his words to sink in and the meaning in them register. My eyes widened and I jerked my head up, looking into his eyes and only seeing love and affection. We hadn't talked much last night, but the memory of him saying he was in love with me, and had been for a long time surfaced and I thought back to when Lester brought me here yesterday; remembering Ranger saying all those wonderful things to me that I had interpreted as a type of payback for all the times I had gone running back to Joe every time things between Ranger and I had heated up. I felt tears start to pool in my eyes, only this time they were happy tears, and the warmth of his gaze caressed my face just as his hand did when he brought it up to my cheek.

"You really 'love me' love me, don't you? Just like I really love you." Okay, so he'd told me more than once, but I was having a hard time processing it, although it was a feeling that became more solid every time I heard it. I wondered if he'd mind saying it to me over and over for, say, the next fifty or sixty years?

He chuckled, and the vibrations I felt against my chest made me feel all warm and gooey inside. "Babe, I'll be more than happy to tell you how much I love you…although sixty years might be pushing it a little. I think I can handle the fifty years though." He had a mischievous grin on his face that was so unlike him that I stared at him in shock.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Okay, where's my Ranger and what have you done with him?" Where had he been hiding this humorous side of him for the past three years that I'd known him?

His eyes darkened and the grin disappeared, his expression suddenly intense. "'Your Ranger' huh? I like the sound of that." His face drew closer until his lips were barely a hairsbreadth away, his lips almost touching mine. "**I'd suggest a toast, but I'm afraid you'd throw it rather than drink it**, considering everything you've had thrown at you the past few days. I know I'm partly responsible for a lot of that confusion, and for that I'm sorry Babe. I wish I could change all that, but for the record?" he paused, looking directly into my eyes, "being that this is where we ended up, I don't think I'd change a thing. Not and miss last night, and especially the rest of our lives." His lips closed over mine just as he finished speaking, chasing all other thoughts from my head except how right this felt.

This was where I belonged.

Word count without disclaimer and title: 1773


	25. Chapter 25 Frank's POV

Disclaimer: Please see previous chapters.

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 25

Frank's POV

The entire drive back to Trenton consisted of using all of my military training to keep from hunting down that Morelli bastard and flaying him alive. Even the occasional comment from my nephew failed to dim the rage I felt at learning the full extent of atrocities he'd committed against my baby, and from what I could read of Ranger, it seemed safe to assume he was having the same difficulties. I had to admire the man; he evidently focused his energies on the goal – nailing Morelli legally, which was a feat in itself.

The Morellis had a lot of pull in the 'Burg, which had afforded them relative immunity from several incidents in the past that would have had a negative impact on most other families. Case in point: Joe's rather adventurous sex life as a teenager, which had been publicly aired and laughed off as simple indiscretions of an oversexed youth. My daughter suffered immensely from this, and now looking back, I wished I'd shown her more compassion for the part she'd unwittingly played in his exploits. I also shouldn't have allowed my wife to browbeat her, since the man was legendary for getting his way in compromising more than just a few young girls. My pumpkin's retaliation for his actions had made me proud, then and now, even though her mother was scandalized.

Now, Joe's position as a police detective gave them even more leverage in keeping their family's name unscathed for the most part, and it was well past time for that to continue. I had no doubts that Ranger and his men would put a stop to that piece of shit's rampage, and I reveled in my part of their plan. I rather enjoyed the thought of playing him, of being their 'ace in the hole'. As much as I wanted to leave that part of my life behind, this would be the coup de grâce, because I could finally do something for my daughter that supported her openly. She would actually have the opportunity to fly, to be Wonder Woman. That alone would make this worth it.

Eddie dropped me off at the cab station, and I waved him away with the promise to keep him apprised of whatever information I came across that concerned any aspect of our 'mission'. I had my own net of CI's as well as accomplices to cull, and what I hadn't learned already they would be more than happy to tap their resources for the sake of my little girl. They were almost as proud of her as I was, and would be chagrined if they hadn't been offered the opportunity to contribute.

Few knew that the majority of 'drivers' that worked with me had seen their own share of action in the military and intelligence communities in the past, even if they had retired, just as I had. We all had, at one time or another, participated in several 'situations' since our retirements, although always peripherally. You never really leave the game in our former lines of work. It kept us living…in more ways than one.

I gave a nod to Sal Casigliari and Ray Martucci, two of the many 'cabbies' I've had the opportunity of working with throughout the years, and motioned them outside to where my cab was parked. When they joined me, I outlined what I wanted them to do; giving them very little in the way of information that might prove catastrophic should our efforts go south. I wasn't willing to jeopardize the hard work put in by the Rangemen or my nephew, since it was their intel and perseverance that had garnered them the mass of information that would spell the decline of Morelli's reign of terror over my daughter and others who had less or no means to protect themselves.

My lips curved when I thought about my next task. Although the antipathy I felt for my mother-in-law was well known throughout the 'Burg, I actually kind of liked the old bat. Her support of my daughters' choices; from her decision to end her marriage to that pompous lawyer my wife pressured her into marrying, to Steph's rather colorful occupation as a bounty hunter, to her rather unorthodox attempts as a child to fly. Thankfully, Edna's always vocally opposed my wife's censure of my youngest daughter, which I'm sure was a huge factor in shaping my daughter into the woman she was today. Truth be told, I didn't really mind a lot of Edna's antics. I'd just rather not have to witness them at the dinner table. Now, she could be a valuable ally in keeping my wife in check, in addition to giving us an unsuspected courier for information.

Since it would be conspicuously out of character for me to spend much more time at home to monitor my wife's activities and phone calls, Edna would be more than happy, I'm sure, to fill that role. The trick, of course, was keeping her yap zipped until the danger was over. She loved to gossip with her ladies at the Clip 'n Curl, which could prove disastrous if she let it slip that I'd asked her to play Miss Marple. However, she could very well be the key to giving us insight on Morelli's next hat trick.

I had no illusions that Ranger and his men could ferret out whatever information they needed when it came time to locate and apprehend Joe Morelli, but it could mean valuable time lost when she could easily glean that information from her cronies and pass it on to myself or one of Ranger's men with much less fanfare. She wouldn't have any trouble imparting any tidbits to the Rangemen boys while keeping herself below suspicion, since it was also well known she had a thing for copping a feel on his men and continuously looked for ways to encounter them. I sincerely hoped he paid them hazard duty when they guarded Steph, since they were subjected to the old hussy's wandering hands when she was able to maneuver herself within touching distance!

I opened the satellite phone I used for occasions when discretion was vital, and dialed the Clip 'n' Curl where I knew Edna would be having her hair done today. No one knew about this phone except for a select few, not even my wife. It came in handy when situations cropped up and I needed a secure and untraceable means of communication. This whole clusterfuck certainly called for both.

When I spoke with my mother-in-law I impressed on her the need for secrecy; that the lives and safety of Stephanie _and_ our entire family depended on our ability to keep our heads clear, our ears and eyes open, and our mouths shut. There would be no discussion about any of our activities whatsoever with her daughter or her friends, and especially no police. I or Ranger were the only contacts I felt comfortable allowing her to impart any information to, but agreed to the possible exceptions to the rest of his core team in an emergency. She was uncharacteristically somber after I gave her a small hint of what we were looking for, and readily agreed to follow my instructions before hanging up.

I wondered how long it would take for the grand jury to convene and return an indictment. The sooner that bastard was locked up, the sooner the rest of the town could breathe easy, myself most of all. The longer he was allowed to walk the streets, the more difficult it would be for me to stand back and allow this to proceed along the proper channels. I had a feeling Ranger was experiencing the same difficulties, and he'd been cognizant of the facts for a lot longer. The man was exhibiting a tremendous amount of restraint in handling this whole mess; in fact I wondered if maybe I hadn't been shown the full extent of the file, even though I had no concrete reason to think that way. Call it gut instinct.

The more I learned today, the heavier the scales weighed in Ranger's favor, as a soldier _and _asa man. He obviously cared more for my daughter than he tried to let on, although I'm sure he hadn't meant to give anyone that impression. If I were a betting man, I'd lay odds he's felt that way for a long time, since he's always been there for her from the time she started this latest endeavor as a bounty hunter.

Stephanie has a rather endearing way about her, and I've seen more than my share of men _and_ boys, both good and bad, fall victim to her unique charm. I've yet to see her encourage most of the negative attention she manages to attract, though. Since the day she was born I've watched her develop her own style, and along with my mother-in-law quietly encouraged her adventurous personality, marveling at how fascinating her seemingly random thought processes are. It's simply her ability to see things from a different perspective that she happens upon most of the situations she gets involved in, and not always in a good way. It's what makes her so lovable, so vulnerable, and also so extremely frustrating. It was my best guess that Mr. Manoso saw that as well, and felt just as drawn, if not more so. My suspicions were such that I had a feeling he was very close to professing just how deeply he felt for my baby, since it was becoming glaringly obvious to everyone, and that Stephanie reciprocated those feelings. I would even hazard a guess that this was exactly what finally unhinged Morelli.

The rest of the day proved uneventful, and also fruitless in most respects. My friends hadn't contacted me with any new information that pertained to my 'mission' yet, although they'd managed to quietly verify several facts that had been included in the case file. They also managed to ascertain one bit of information that I _hadn't_ been made aware of by the Rangemen; Morelli's long and most certainly illicit affair with the mob princess Terri Gilman, even when he was openly pursuing Steph.

That gut feeling I'd had that I hadn't seen everything in that file now made sense. I'd have to have a little chat with Mr. Manoso. Even though I could see why that information hadn't been included, I wasn't happy it had been withheld.

It was going to be difficult to go home and act normally, pretending that all was well. I fell asleep with one thing on my mind. That son of a bitch was gonna pay.

I woke the next morning feeling more tired than when I had gone to bed. My night had been filled with horrifying visions of my daughter being attacked or victimized in a variety of ways, and I had been powerless to save her. Every single scenario had involved Morelli, either directly or indirectly, reinforcing my determination to make the man wish he'd never been born.

I was hard pressed to maintain my usual ''burg' father façade, instead choosing to escape the house and head to the cab company slightly earlier than normal. My wife didn't seem to notice, however. She'd been preoccupied the whole evening before; my guess would be she was trying to figure out where to locate Steph in order to help Morelli. Her unhealthy determination to see my daughter brought to heel and shackled to that man as he slowly killed everything that made her so special strengthened my resolve to check all thoughts of going rogue and killing the man. Helen evidently needed to have the man's true character brought to light the way this whole investigation and trial would. I also needed to make a decision as to whether I could continue our marriage. She was no longer the woman I fell in love with over thirty five years ago.

My inner musings were interrupted by the beeping of my phone, signaling a priority call. I glanced at the caller ID before connecting the call, noting it was my nephew Eddie.

"Hello."

"Hi. Just thought I'd give you a head's up. Morelli shot his dog yesterday. He says Bob attacked him when he got home. I'm thinking something's not right with the story he gave, but right now the shooting is being called justifiable. Thought maybe someone can break the news to Steph since he used to be her dog." His voice definitely had a note of doubt when he recounted the reason for shooting the dog, and I started to get a hinky feeling. Could this mean his behavior was escalating?

Dogs are notoriously sensitive to the nuances projected by those who intend harm, and I'd learned to rely on their instincts when working with them. We'd used them countless times when I was working undercover over in Europe all those years ago, and not once had they been wrong. They had managed to fleece out more than one enemy operative that we had previously considered benign. Several times they even saved some of our lives.

"I gather you aren't comfortable calling Ranger with this right now, so I'll tell him. Anything else he needs to know?" I got a bad feeling when I heard him pause.

"Morelli put in for sick leave. He doesn't normally take time off for an injury this minor, so I'm thinking he's using it as an excuse. I think he's up to something, but I can't figure it out. Might want to up your alert level." This was definitely not good news. I'd lay odds Eddie was right, and Morelli was up to no good. Ranger may need to push the DA to secure an indictment much sooner than he had anticipated.

"You keep your ears open, but whatever you do, don't go near the house, and I'll take care of informing Ranger. I don't want you any more exposed than you already are. It wouldn't surprise me if he's already watching you. I wouldn't turn my back on him either." Eddie acknowledged and ended the call as I heard the sound of someone hailing him faintly in the background.

After hanging up, I dialed Ranger's phone, knowing just how my baby was going to take it when she heard about Bob's death. I felt an ache in my heart because I wouldn't be there to hold her while she cried before she would then get mad. She took a friends' death relatively hard, even an animal's, and she considered the dog one of her friends. For her, it was a call to arms, and she could be very creative when it came to revenge. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that that Ranger's newest task of keeping Steph from leaving the safe house post-haste and hunting Morelli down was going to be more than just a test of stronger wills.

Ranger's phone picked up, but it wasn't his voice I recognized on the other end. I hesitated; I didn't feel comfortable sharing this new information with just anyone. The voice must have understood my reluctance, because he quickly identified himself as Lester, which immediately set my mind at ease. I remembered him as one of the men who occasionally guarded my daughter, as well as one of Ranger's core team and his cousin. I was curious though, why it was him answering the phone instead of the man himself. Was there something wrong?

"Lester, I've got some new information to pass along. Is Ranger available?" I'd still rather speak with the man himself, but at least this way I might find out why he wasn't answering his phone. Call me curious. It was a family trait, and one everyone thought Steph had picked up from my wife's mother. They were wrong.

"Uh, he's kinda tied up right now. Is this something I can pass along to him? I'd really hate to disturb him right now." He didn't seem too comfortable sharing that information, and it made me wonder if maybe his unavailability had to do with Steph.

"This is something he needs to hear before my daughter does. He'll need to prepare her for the news; it's not good." There wasn't a doubt in my mind that Lester would rather not be the bearer of this bad news if I told him. Besides, I had a few pointers to pass on to Mr. Manoso that he might find useful in dealing with Steph once she'd been informed of this latest development, and I'd rather not share it with her more casual acquaintances. They wouldn't stop her from wanting to kill the bastard, but it would help to dial the anger down a few notches so she could think more clearly. At least they'd helped when she was a child.

I heard Lester clear his throat and he began to speak, a note of resignation in his voice. "This is something I'm not gonna want to tell either one of them, isn't it?" He sighed as I made an affirmative sound. "Okay, do you want to hold, or can I have him call you right back? It might be a few minutes."

I chuckled. "Have him call me back. I'm guessing he's with Steph right now, so I understand your reluctance to elaborate. Just stress the urgency; I get the feeling all hell's gonna break loose real soon now." He agreed and disconnected.

Time to call in the troops.

tbc


	26. Chapter 26 Lester's POV

Disclaimer: Please see previous chapters. For Tara, who needs RL to cut her some slack; for Kym - Please God, watch over her and make her well; the ladies at BB for the wonderfully encouraging crazy loons they are, and my hero Jenny, for the awesome beta job as well as the fantastic support. Thank you so much everyone!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 26

Lester's POV

WHEN MY WIFE WALKED down the stairs and nodded affirmatively, I was filled with a huge sense of relief. If I was reading her right, and let's face it, I _always_ read her right; we no longer had to worry about Bomber and Ric. I was feeling pretty damn proud of myself for thinking of calling in Mari. Hell, I should get a medal and combat pay for the tab I'm running up with my wife. Besides, they didn't have any better suggestions on how to help get those two to see what had been in front of their faces all this time!

As for Ric, I was gonna make sure he remembered this lucrative idea of mine every time he gave me shit about the pranks I pulled on the guys. He's reaping the benefits of my 'sacrifice' here, and we really needed the humor that entailed to deal with the garbage we encountered every day. I like to think I'm pretty damn good at lightening the mood around the office, even if I do say so myself!

I pulled my wife into my arms as she moved to my side, noticing Bomber slowly making her way down the rest of the stairs. I kept my eye on her as Mari pulled me over to the sofa to join my daughter, Bobby and Marcus in watching the movie Mia had picked out. Mari was insistent that I leave them alone, but I really wanted to see how things were going. After all, the guys and I had a lot riding on the outcome. Like our sanity.

Mari pulled my head around towards the TV, whispering in my ear "give them some privacy", and for the most part, I did. Well, as far as she could tell. I could see out the corner of my eye as Ric waited for Bomber to hesitantly walk up to him though, and I kept watching until he reached out and folded her into his arms. I wasn't about to miss what came next, because I knew damn well I'd be harassed for details the minute I got back to Rangeman. Tank and Ram would be pulling out the gloves if I didn't have any tidbits to share. Those two are such _girls_ sometimes, gossiping like they do!

They stood there for what seemed like hours, just holding each other without even speaking. I got bored, so I turned to watch the movie. I figured I wouldn't be missing much, since they didn't seem to be talking. It was probably five or ten minutes later when I chanced a peek over Mari's head and noticed they were gone. Damn! Looks like I missed the getaway. Tank was gonna kill me!

I was tempted to head upstairs and eavesdrop outside Ric's bedroom door, but I really wanted to sleep with my wife tonight, and didn't relish being in the doghouse for the next month or so. That would be the least of my worries if she caught me sneaking a listen to what might be happening up there. I'd have to risk the guys' wrath for the lack of details though, because there was no way I was gonna cross my lovely wife tonight. She was already running a tab on me, and always managed rather creative ways to collect. Some of them I really enjoyed...

I turned back to the TV, catching Bobby's eye in the process. He was grinning like the cat that ate the canary, and I assumed he'd seen the same thing I did. Then I noticed Marcus smirking, although he had his eyes diligently turned towards the animated characters that filled the screen. Chump! It would be poetic justice to sic the guys on my cousin, instead of letting them hang me up for the particulars; an idea that gained more appeal by the moment. I still owed him for that family dinner a few months ago where he blabbed to Abuela about Steph when Ric and I skipped out early to deal with a stalker threat to Bomber. Abuela had smacked me on the head when I saw her next, and proceeded to read me the riot act since I hadn't seen fit to keep her in the loop. She counted on me to spill Ric's secrets when she couldn't pry them out of him herself. Like _that_ was gonna happen!

It was a given that Ric wouldn't tell her about a woman he was interested in, since he was known for keeping the personal details of his life a closely guarded secret. Especially a woman who happened to be involved with someone else at the time. As for me, everything about my life was an open book to the family. At least, as far as _they_ knew.

I'd met and married my wife when we were both very young, shortly before Ric had met Rachel, as a matter of fact, and we all know how _that_ turned out. Guess we shouldn't have gotten him so drunk that night, although I know none of us would wish Julie hadn't come along. We'd all gotten a lot closer to Ric's daughter ever since the Scrog incident, and thankfully she seemed to be a lot more interested in getting to know her father since then too. She _really_ liked Steph, and now it looked like she had a chance to get to know Bomber as much more than just a fellow victim of a Ranger-wannabe psychotic kidnapper.

When Ric got Rachel pregnant, we'd all been on leave together down in Miami. We knew about him getting married even before our parents did, and when his daughter Julie was born, we became Uncles. We were all pretty glad when he divorced Rachel; she didn't like any of us much anyway, and didn't even try to get along with any of our family. It hit Ric pretty hard when she told him she wanted her new husband to adopt Julie, but just as he's always done, he buried his feelings and signed the papers, saying it was the best thing for Julie. No Manoso name to track her back to him, and she'd have a real Dad, not just an absentee birth father. I'd tried to talk him out of giving her up, but since he wasn't in love with Rachel, I guess he figured he wouldn't miss his daughter either. _Right!_

The whole Scrog fiasco was a prime example. Now I know Ric tries to say that if he hadn't been visiting Julie, Scrog would never have found and kidnapped her, and Bomber wouldn't have offered to help and end up getting taken either. The truth is, he loves that little girl so much it kills him every time he has to leave Miami and Julie behind. It has for years. That's probably why it's taken him so long to own up to his feelings about Bomber, and even longer for him to tell her. Guess he figured if she didn't know how he felt about her, he wouldn't get hurt. Turns out he got hurt every time he saw her, 'cause it seemed like she was always putting Morelli between them, even when they had supposedly broken up. Thank fuck that won't be happening any more! I _hate_ it when he gets all tied up in knots 'cause she's gone back to the cop. I usually have to go without sex with my wife for a whole week, since I'm too sore to do much more than…okay, probably more information than anyone needs to know about me anyway.

The movie ended a short time later, without Ric or Steph making an appearance, and since Mia was still up, we decided to forgo any conversations that might have to do with Bomber and Ric, especially any speculation as to what we thought may be happening upstairs between the two. Let's face it, we're all adults, and we knew damn well what they were doing!

We stuck Marcus in with Bobby and put Mia on the pull-out sofa in the living room, while Mari and I went to bed in the remaining guest room. I spent several hours showing her how much I appreciated her efforts on Ric's behalf, _and_ ours, before curling myself around her body and dropping off into a sound and peaceful sleep.

The next morning, I woke up feeling a little groggy but mostly relaxed. Mari had spent a considerable amount of time and effort last night collecting on a portion of my 'debt', and although we hadn't gotten much sleep, I'd enjoyed every moment of it. I was still amazed after all these years how much she turned me on. I may flirt a lot and give the impression I'm an insatiable horn dog, but the truth is, I'm a one-woman man, and I've _got_ my woman!

I let Mari sleep in while I went into the kitchen to start breakfast. Mia was up watching TV with Bobby and Marcus, who wandered in to watch as I took out the ingredients for omelets. I didn't expect to see Ric and Steph for a while. I figured they were probably still sleeping or 'something'. I know _I_ would be!

I put Marcus to work chopping the green peppers and tomatoes while I grated cheese and readied the skillet. I was in the process of breaking the eggs into a bowl when I heard a cell phone ringing. I looked over at the counter, smirking when I noticed Ric had left his phone downstairs. I wasn't so happy when I noticed who was calling, though. Bomber's dad.

I picked up the phone and answered, hearing a hesitation on the other end of the line. He was probably wondering who was answering, so I identified myself, tamping down the feeling of foreboding I suddenly felt. I doubt he'd be calling if it was good news.

"Lester, I've got some new information to pass along. Is Ranger available?" I could hear the curiosity in his voice when he inquired about Ric.

Now, I'm not one to kiss and tell, especially when it comes to Ric's privacy. I sure as hell wasn't going to tell him that his little girl was doing the nasty with my boss and cousin! "Uh, he's kinda tied up right now. Is this something I can pass along to him? I'd really hate to disturb him right now." I've never had to speak with a dad like this, especially someone I liked and respected. Not when he's a pending member of the family anyway!

He must've picked up on my reluctance to explain, because he continued on blithely. "This is something he needs to hear before my daughter does. He'll need to prepare her for the news; it's not good." That little voice that told me bad news was incoming gave me a poke and I sighed. What now?

I cleared my throat, resigning myself to the prospect of more smelly brown stuff hitting the fan. "This is something I'm not gonna want to tell either one of them, isn't it?" I sighed again as he murmured a "yes". "Okay, do you want to hold, or can I have him call you right back? It might be a few minutes." I sooo didn't want to have to wake up Ric and tell him about the call, but from the sound of Frank Plum's voice, it was definitely the lesser of the two evils. Bwock bwock!

He chuckled and went on, his voice reflecting humor at my expense. "Have him call me back. I'm guessing he's with Steph right now, so I understand your reluctance to elaborate. Just stress the urgency; I get the feeling all hell's gonna break loose really soon now." All trace of humor was gone with that last sentence, and as I disconnected the call with that little voice quacking in my head, I decided to get it over with as soon as possible. And everything was going so well up until now!

I looked over at Marcus, the grin on his face disappearing when he noticed the look on my face. "I gather that wasn't good news, huh?" I shook my head and ran my hands over my face. I was gonna have to go up there and break up their happy little reunion party, quashing down the only little bit of happiness Bomber's had for quite a long while. Ric's too. I felt like shit.

I indicated the ingredients spread out on the counter. "You wanna take over? I gotta go wake up Ric. I just hope Steph is still sleeping. She's not gonna like it if she hears me tell Ric he needs to call her dad without finding out why, so it's probably best if I can get him the message without her knowing. Knowing her, she'll insist on calling him herself, and I don't think that's what he has in mind. Frank said we should prepare her for the news, so I'd much rather just tell Ric he needs to call him and get out of there. He thinks she'll take it pretty hard." At his nod of agreement, I headed upstairs, Ric's cell phone clutched in my hand.

A soft knock on the bedroom door brought a muffled response of "Hold on a sec." I stood there waiting, grin fixed firmly on my face as I envisioned the scene in the bedroom. I kept the smile on my face, just in case it was Steph who answered even as the door opened to a very unhappy Ric, clad only in a pair of black boxers. He gave me a nasty look at the intrusion, his look saying I'd be paying for this later…with prejudice.

I raised an eyebrow in question (Steph really hates when we do that!), and at his reassuring nod I went on, keeping my voice low just in case she woke up while we talked. I held up his cell phone. "I hate to bother you, but Frank Plum called. He said he had some bad news that we'd need to prepare Steph for, and he'd rather talk to you about it." I went to hand him his phone, but he pushed it back into my hand. Guess he decided to return the call when he was out of Steph's earshot. At his nod, I started down, hearing him coming down the stairs behind me just as I reached the kitchen. He was barefoot and shirtless, only wearing a pair of sweats he'd hurriedly thrown on. I wordlessly handed him the phone, then turned to help Marcus finish up breakfast.

I didn't bother trying to hear what was being said. Ric never says much on the phone anyway, and even less when getting bad news. I shot a look at him over my shoulder when I heard him curse softly, then apologize for the expletive. At my inquiring look he held up a finger, so I nodded in acquiescence. I heard him thank Steph's dad, then snap his phone shut, a quiet "fuck" escaping before he could hold it back. He indicated I should follow him, barking out a sharp "Marcus! Brown!" as we left the kitchen and passed the entrance to the living room on the way to his office.

Marcus turned off the stove and followed us, a quizzical look on his face. Ric rarely showed emotion when he was pissed, and even though this was his brother, it had been a long time since he'd heard him use profanity. He was always so circumspect around his family, or at the least the immediate ones.

We all crowded into the office, Bobby closing the door at Ric's indication and dropped down to sprawl on the sofa. I watched Ric run a hand through his hair, then sigh as he evidently decided to just spit it out.

"Morelli may be escalating, at least according to Frank Plum. He shot Bob, his and Steph's dog yesterday, saying the dog attacked him." He waited for a moment while we vented with a few choice expletives, then continued. "Eddie says he's put in for sick leave, which he says isn't normal. He thinks Morelli's up to something, and I think he's right. This is gonna hit Steph hard, since Bob used to be hers, so I'm calling Brian to see what the status of the indictment is. Lester, I want you to call Tank and fill him in so he can increase security. I want everyone to be extra careful. The cop knows how she feels about all of us and might try to draw her out by targeting one of us. Bobby?" He looked over at our now tense friend and co-worker. He wasn't sprawled on the sofa anymore. He reminded me of a coiled spring, waiting for the command to unleash.

"That sedative we talked about?" At Bobby's hesitant nod, he went on. "Her dad thinks it may be necessary as a back-up. Keep it handy. I also think it's best if no one leaves here until we know how soon Brian can get a grand jury together and get Morelli into custody." He looked at me apologetically. "Sorry, man." I just nodded and pulled out my phone. My daughter would be upset, but my wife would understand and support the decision. Mari was a mercenary's dream wife when it came to safety precautions, among other things…

I called Tank and filled him in, passing on Ric's instructions about the increased security and precautions. I also suggested he call Eddie and let him know he'd have eyes on him, just in case. Tank agreed. Eddie and Steph were close, and if Morelli was willing to take out the dog, her cousin would be a logical step up, next to the rest of her family. I'm pretty sure Mr. Plum had already thought of that possibility and was taking his own precautions.

Clusterfuck didn't even come close to describing the situation now!

tbc


	27. Chapter 27 Ranger's POV

Disclaimer: SOS, different chapter.

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 27

Ranger's POV

THE CONTENT OF THE call from Frank Plum worried me. Although it was my belief that Steph's refusal to go running back to the cop when she'd been threatened had been the catalyst that caused him to break from reality, I hadn't counted on him escalating to this degree so soon and so violently against Steph like this. By all accounts, the dog had figured prominently in Morelli's picture of his future family, and destroying the animal was making me rethink my immediate plans.

I took out my phone and scrolled down to Brian's number, pressing the 'call' key to connect. When he picked up, he had just left the courthouse and was on his way back to his office, and sounded almost relieved that it was me on the phone. It gave me hope that good news would be the response. We had gotten lucky.

Apparently, due to the nature of the charges, as well as the connections Morelli and his family had in the community, never mind the police department, a secret Grand Jury had been convened first thing this morning, and they had handed down several indictments. Although none were for murder _yet_, they pretty much guaranteed no bail before and during the trial, making me expel the breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.

They'd been able to secure seven felony indictments: one count of accessory to rape in the first degree, two counts of conspiracy to commit murder in the first degree, one count of assault in the second degree, and three counts of solicitation of murder for hire, also second degree. Unfortunately, since we had yet to verify definitive evidence that tied him to the Ehrlichmann and Carlucci murders, they hadn't even brought those cases forward to be considered. They did, however, mention to the jury that more charges would be forthcoming as soon as the evidence had been tested and authenticated.

I was stunned. We hadn't been informed when the Grand Jury was planning to convene, so we didn't have a single live witness there to testify. This meant that those people on the Grand Jury had been convinced solely on the basis of the file and the tape alone. It was great news.

Brian was almost giddy with excitement, but I detected relief in his voice as well. I couldn't blame him for feeling that way, since trying to indict an officer of the law, never mind _prosecuting_ the man in such a tight-knit community as the 'Burg, had been considered an almost impossible task. Morelli had connections, not only as a high-ranking police detective, but also as a lifetime member of the community who had served in the armed forces. We just hadn't counted on the degree of unbiased cooperation of the community to read between the lines.

I informed Brian of what had happened with Morelli's dog, telling him it might be best to speak with Eddie Gazarra in regards to the details. In turn, he informed me that he was having his office fax over to Rangeman the arrest warrant, as well as the formal authorization to apprehend Morelli, since he was concerned that the cop might turn on his brother officers if cornered. The men and women he worked with wouldn't be allowed to view the evidence for themselves unless they attended the hearing, and consequently the trial, so they wouldn't understand exactly who they were up against, guaranteeing it would be too late for whoever got in Morelli's way. The risk of an officer or another civilian getting hurt or killed was too great.

A few more words of advice and I ended the call, suddenly feeling anxious to call Tank and have him start closing the net around Morelli. Eddie's worried tone when he told me of Morelli's request for time off bothered me. I called Tank and relayed my conversation with Brian, telling him to inform the entire company of the charges that were now leveled against Morelli, as well as reiterating Lester's request for a shadow to watch Gazarra when Tank mentioned it. I hadn't thought of that, but it was a good idea, and I was glad that my cousin had the foresight to mention it. However, I did tell him to double the teams. I wanted no less than four men out there on the streets in case there was a confrontation with the cop.

After hanging up, I dialed Steph's father again. He needed to know that the Grand Jury had already convened, along with the nature of the charges that Brian had been able to secure. When he didn't answer, I punched in a prearranged code to let him know that we now had an indictment, and that we would be commencing with our efforts to take the cop into custody.

Another thought occurred to me that I knew would be making its way through the grapevine of the 'Burg very soon, and that was what, if anything, Steph would do for retribution. I highly doubted my Babe would even consider the idea of suing the prick, though, because money didn't mean all that much to her. Revenge, on the other hand, would. She would want to cause the man as much pain as humanly possible, just as she had tried to do when she ran him over with her father's Buick in retaliation for taking her virginity on the floor of the Tasty Pastry when she was sixteen. Her anger hadn't really been for the act itself, she once confided, but rather the humiliation and censure she'd been subjected to when he wrote about it on the bathroom walls of a sub shop and the high school football stadium, then skipping town without so much as a phone call. _That_ type of revenge was more my Babe's style, and if we hadn't been able to get the indictments we needed to lock him up, I would've really enjoyed watching her dish out her own brand of justice. She was her father's daughter in more ways than one.

My phone signaled I had a message, so I checked the readout. I had received a reply from Frank. It read 'message understood and appropriate safeguards in place'. I wondered what he considered 'appropriate', but then just grinned and shook my head. As much of an enigma as the man was, I understood all too well his motivations, and could almost hear his unvoiced thoughts about what he'd like to do to Morelli, given the chance. Until the cop was in custody, I wasn't going to discount the possibility that Frank may get his wish.

I went out into the kitchen, noticing that Lester and Marcus had just finished cooking breakfast for everyone. Mari and Mia, along with Lester, had just finishing eating, and Marcus was ladling the last of the omelets onto plates. Meanwhile, Bobby was putting a mountain of toast on a platter in the center of the table and topping off coffee cups before sitting down to his own breakfast. I noticed my Babe hadn't come down yet, so I headed upstairs to see if she had woken up yet.

When I got to the bedroom, Steph was in front of the vanity, frantically trying to control her crazy hair. I leaned against the door frame and watched silently, grinning as she mumbled curses at the unruly mop before finally giving up and, with a sigh of exasperation, pulled it up into a messy ponytail. I chuckled and she whirled around, grimacing when she realized I'd been watching her struggle.

I sauntered over and folded her into my arms, tucking her head into my shoulder as her arms crept around my waist. We stood there holding each other for a moment until she lifted her head and looked at me hopefully.

"Was that coffee I smelled? And breakfast?" I grinned at the hungry look on her face. My Babe has a one-track mind in the mornings, and food, especially coffee, was her top priority. I nodded, dropping a kiss onto her forehead and turning us, keeping an arm slung across her shoulders as we made our way out of the room and down the stairs.

When we entered the kitchen, all eyes turned toward us with assessing looks. Lester set two mugs of coffee down on the table at the empty stools next to Marcus, who was busy shoveling food in his mouth while Bobby set plates of food down next to the fresh mugs. Mari was still at the table sipping coffee while Mia was currently sitting in the living room in front of the TV, watching cartoons.

Steph immediately sat down in front of one of the plates of food, grabbing one of the mugs and doctoring it with endless amounts of sugar and milk. I could feel myself harden at her moan when she took her first gulp of coffee, and when I looked around, I noticed the uncomfortable looks on the faces of my brother and men. Mari was grinning, clearly amused at my Babe's habit of voicing her appreciation of good food and hot coffee, as well as the male reactions to her vocalizations.

When Steph looked up and realized she was the center of attention because of her moaning, she blushed a deep red. Mumbling a sheepish "Sorry" before dropping her gaze to the food in front of her, she picked up her fork, concentrating on her omelet. I chuckled and sat down beside her, watching her eat out of the corner of my eye as I started in on my own breakfast. She ate quietly, working on keeping the moans to a minimum as she savored the tasty dish. Everyone else was quiet, sipping their coffee and watching Steph furtively to gauge her mood.

About halfway through the meal, Steph looked up uncomfortably, sensing there was something going on that she hadn't been made aware of. Her inquiring looks at Lester and Bobby gave her nothing except a slight smile on each of their faces, their gazes sliding away when she made as if to speak. She turned to me with a questioning look, her brow furrowing when she noticed I had my blank face on. She put her fork down and moved her plate away, folding her arms across her chest in a defensive gesture, probably guessing that whatever it was, it concerned her. I always knew she had great instincts.

My gut tightened when I recognized the mulish look on her face. My Babe was too smart for her own good sometimes, and stubborn almost to a fault. I'd rather eat a box of Tastykakes than tell her what I'd learned this morning. I sighed and dropped my fork onto my plate with a clatter, pushing it towards the center of the table. Steph had flinched at the noise, but still kept her eyes trained on me unwaveringly. I debated with myself the best way to break it to her, knowing that no matter what I said or how I said it, she was going to cry first, which she would hate, and that was something I wasn't looking forward to. I hated to see my Babe cry.

After a minute or two, her voice broke the silence, sounding unnaturally loud even though her voice was barely above a whisper. "This is gonna be bad, isn't it?" There was a catch in her voice that almost broke my heart, causing me to curse inwardly at Morelli's selfishness again. The man was gonna pay for every tear he caused my Babe to cry. I guaranteed it.

"Yeah, Babe, it is. I'm sorry." My inner debate hadn't helped me any on how to go about this, so I decided to take a little of Frank's advice. I turned on my stool and scooted it closer to hers, catching her hands in mine when she tried to countermand my effort to get closer. Her eyes narrowed, and I almost grinned, seeing the realization on her face that she not only recognized the tactic, but knew where I had learned it from. I just hoped she wouldn't get pissed, knowing her father had been giving me a few tips on 'Stephanie 101'.

She made another attempt to get her hands free while giving me her 'Burg look, trying, without much success, to work them out of mine. I didn't want to hurt her, so I tightened my hold almost imperceptively and brought them to my lips, noting her eyes softening as my lips brushed against her knuckles. She relaxed and leaned forward, relieving the tension in her arms and then her body as I leaned into her, touching our foreheads together. Her lips had curved into a sweet smile, mesmerizing me to the point I nearly missed her breathless giggle. I almost felt high just by the sound of that laugh, knowing I'd been responsible.

"Nice move, Batman. What else has my father been telling you?" she whispered, the smile in her voice making me feel like Batman, Superman and Captain America all rolled into one. Her light-hearted comment brought me crashing down again though, because it was also Frank who told me about Morelli's latest contribution to my Babe's heartaches, making me feel like shit again.

I took a moment to fight my blank face from coming down again, because as much as I needed the shield, Steph needed to see how much I hated to tell her this. I stole a look at her face and noted the look of surprise when her study of my face revealed I wasn't hiding anything from her now.

"When your dad called this morning, he had some bad news." She stilled, mentally bracing herself. "Apparently, Morelli's saying that Bob attacked him, so he shot him. He's gone, Babe. Bob's dead." A heartbeat later, her eyes began to well up and her face crumpled. I really hated to tell her the rest, but I learned a long time ago not to keep things from Steph when it concerned her safety. I hadn't had that option yesterday morning before I'd had to act, but at least this time the information wasn't something I needed to hold back until I had some proof instead of just a gut feeling.

I had to give my Babe credit; even though the tears were pouring out of her eyes like a water faucet, she swallowed and squeezed my hands until she recovered enough control to squeak out "And? What else?" She tried to give a dignified sniffle, and actually almost pulled it off. That's my girl!

I loosened my hold on her left hand and placed it on my knee, bringing my right hand up to brush the tears from her cheeks with my fingers. "Eddie says Morelli put in for sick time, saying something about needing time off after the attack. He thinks something's fishy. Your dad and I agree." I watched her eyes as she took this in, not surprised to see a speculative light blink on as she started to process what this new information could mean.

"Eddie's right." Her voice was rough, and although I still detected a deep sadness, there was a new emotion threatening to take over. She looked past my shoulder, keeping her eyes focused on the wall behind me. "Joe's never taken a day off in his life, except for when he was in the hospital. That time Stiva broke his leg, he practically went nuts until they fitted him with a walking cast and let him have desk duty. He's planning something."

Her voice got stronger the more she spoke, and when she finished, she brought her eyes back to mine. Her eyes had turned a stormy blue, and I realized that the new emotion I saw wasn't just anger, but an unholy rage I've never seen my Babe exhibit in all the time I've known her. I finally saw what Frank had warned me about and picked up her hand again, drawing her into my arms and wrapping them around her.

She was trembling with anger, and the moment her body came in contact with mine, I felt her stiffen. I began to rub soothing circles on her back, whispering consoling words of Spanish in her ear that I hoped would help calm her until she could think rationally. I felt her begin to loosen up a little, relieved that she seemed to be regaining some control over her emotions. When her body stopped shaking and relaxed, I figured it was safe enough to ease back a little, so I did, looking down into her face when I felt her move her head up from my chest.

"I'm okay, Ranger. I'm pissed off, but I'm not going to go off on anyone, at least not until I can get my hands on that fucking bastard. Did my dad say when they're going to arrest him?" Her voice was more controlled now, although the anger was still clearly evident in her eyes. I hoped what I had to tell her next would bring a different look to her eyes.

I smiled. "Brian, the DA, is one step ahead of us. A secret Grand Jury was convened this morning, and they handed down seven felony indictments. They'll consider more when we get them conclusive evidence about the murders. Brian's office was faxing over the authorization and warrant first thing, and we've already got teams on the street looking for him. Won't be long now, Babe, and this will be over." I felt her tense a little at the mention of my teams on the street. I gave her a squeeze in understanding. "I doubled the teams as a precaution, Babe. They're prepared, believe me."

She looked up at me, relief and frustration warring with each other in her expression. She bit her bottom lip, indecision on her face as she contemplated the news. She started to speak and then stopped, obviously trying to work through some inner conflict. Blowing out a breath, she decided to just blurt it out. "I want to see him face to face before you take him in. I won't go to the station, but I need to confront him. Can you make that happen? Will you do that for me?" How could I say no when she looked at me like that?

I smiled and tucked a wayward curl behind her ear, then pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Yeah, Babe, I'll do that for you. We'll make it happen."

I expected nothing less from my Babe. I've never been more proud of her than at that moment, because now, instead of letting her heart rule her actions, she pushed down the hurt so she could focus on the goal.

tbc


	28. Chapter 28 Steph's POV

Disclaimer: You know the drill, although I'd much rather it be me that's making the big bucks. After all, I have a much better imagination, don't you think? *grin* Huge thanks to Jenny for stepping in to beta this for me. As always, special thanks to BB & Kym, and the ladies of BB. I love you guys!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 28

Steph's POV

THE RED FOG OF anger that clouded my vision when Ranger told me that Joe had shot Bob was so thick I wasn't sure I could find my way out of it. I wanted to castrate the son of a bitch with a pair of rusty ice tongs, shove a broken baseball bat up his ass, then hook it to a cement truck that would twist it around really, really hard. I wanted to tie his overused and underutilized dick to a NASCAR driver's bumper and tell him to floor it. I wanted Joyce Barnhardt to give him herpes, gonorrhea, syphilis and the clap all at the same time so that his dick would fall off, and that was _after_ the NASCAR driver got done with him. I wanted him to hurt way more than it made me feel to hear about Bob's death, because he not only killed that sweet, innocent dog that I had considered a part of my family, but also because that bastard cheated on me. The whole time he'd been accusing me of sleeping with Ranger, _which I wasn't,_ he'd been screwing Terri and _lying_ about it! He knew how badly it had hurt me when Dickie cheated, and I never really loved _him!_

Is it so hard to love me as who I am enough to consider keeping a commitment, instead of going behind my back and sleeping with someone like Mob Bitch Barbie? Was my mother right? _Was_ I a failure? How long before Ranger…uh Ric decided I just wasn't worth it? Could he ever possibly be satisfied with just me, or was it all a pipe dream?

Not that I thought Range…Ric _hmm, Ranger Ric?_ would do that to me, although I really couldn't blame him if he did. I mean, look at my track record. We'd barely been married six months when I caught Dickie with Joyce on my dining room table, although apparently it had been going on since well before my marriage. With Joe, we could never manage to stay together longer than a few weeks before we'd fight and I'd move back to my apartment. I know Joe has an extremely active libido, so it was a given he'd been 'amusing' himself with others during our 'off' phases. It was part and parcel to our so-called relationship. Don't ask, don't tell. Now come to find out I should have asked, although I seriously doubt he would've told me the truth.

There hasn't been a single man in my life, including guys I'd dated in college, that hasn't been unfaithful. Well, except for Ranger, that is. So what if he did sleep with someone else after 'The Deal'; he'd sent me back to Joe, so that didn't count. It didn't matter that just the thought of Ranger with another woman hurt more than it should have; he was never mine. Until now.

Just the thought of holding his heart, and him having mine, sent a flood of warmth running through me. Of course, he'd had my heart ever since that fateful night, only I hadn't realized it. I'd been so wrapped up in trying to forget those hours he spent ruining me for everyone else, that I hadn't examined the deeper feelings he'd awakened. My talk with Mari had opened my eyes in more ways than one.

I was brought out of my musings by the shrill ring of a phone. Little did I know there was indeed a land line here, and it was located in Ra…uh, _damn! _Ric'soffice. Thank God I didn't have the presence of mind to search for a phone when this whole mess started, and especially that I didn't know about it before talking with Mari; last night with Ric might not have happened then, if at all!

Lester was grinning as he came back into the room after answering the phone. "Ric? Might be a good idea to change safe houses. Celia's on her way!" He looked as Marcus and they both started cracking up.

I looked at Lester in confusion. "Why would we need to change safe houses?" Lester stopped laughing long enough to give me a look, then with a quick glance at Ranger, lost it again, clutching his stomach as tears ran down his face. I looked at Mari, who was smirking, and then at Ranger, who looked like he swallowed a habañero pepper…whole. This was so not good news to him!

"Shit!" The expletive was said softly enough not to reach Mia's ears in the living room, but the rest of us had no trouble hearing it. Mari's eyebrow went up, while Marcus and Lester were still trying to get a handle on their laughter. Bobby just stood there with a slight grin on his face, but his eyes gave away the inner struggle he was having at Ranger's expense. I was just plain baffled.

I looked at Ranger, _oh, screw it!,_ my face reflecting all the questions I wanted to ask. He sighed and took my hand, giving his brother and cousin a dark look before leading me over to the stairs and starting the walk up to the bedroom. I looked back at Mari, who just shrugged before turning to Lester and whispering in his ear. The last sound I heard before Ranger shut the bedroom door was Lester letting out a yelp as if someone had smacked him.

He led me over to the fireplace, where a small table flanked by two comfortable chairs was arranged. I put my hands on my hips and turned to face Ranger, taking note of the frustrated look on his face before opening my mouth. I waited in silence, uncharacteristically I know, but it was obvious he had something important to say to me, and I wasn't about to sidetrack him.

"Babe, this is not the way I wanted you to meet my family, especially Celia. I wanted to spend more time with you, for you to be more comfortable about our relationship, before you had to deal with her. My sister's extremely protective of me, and can be rather unpleasant if she thinks someone's out to hurt me. And she _will_ think that right now, because she doesn't know everything that's happened the last couple of weeks." He sighed, dropping down on the easy chair that sat in front of the fireplace and looked up at me.

I stuck my hands in the pockets of my jeans, suddenly apprehensive about meeting _anyone_ else in the Bat family. Was his sister the only one I had to worry about? Marcus seemed kind of nice, even though he obviously wasn't as close to Ranger as most brothers, but since I found out that Lester's his cousin, it seems I had more allies in his family than I thought. I wondered if there were more family members scattered throughout Rangeman…

"Is there anyone else that works for you that you're related to?" I asked, suddenly getting the feeling I'd met more of his family than he'd admitted to. His lips tilted in that almost-smile of his that always made me wonder if he was laughing at me before he reached out and grabbed my hand, pulling me onto his lap.

"I'm surprised you haven't figured it out yet, Babe. Yeah, Ella's actually my aunt; my mom's sister. Ram, whose real name is Jason, is married to Celia. Hector's related in a roundabout way; his mom is my second cousin on my mom's side, and Silvio is a cousin on my dad's side. Last but not least, your 'favorite' Rangeman employee, Freddy Rodriguez, is actually a first cousin. His mom and my dad are sister and brother." He chuckled, and I suddenly saw the parallel of his life with the 'Burg I'd grown up in. It was no wonder he understood my explanations when I tried to tell him how I'd managed to ferret out bits of information from a convoluted chain of informants!

I groaned, hiding my face in his chest as what he'd said sank in. I should have known Ella was his aunt, considering how well she seemed to know Ranger's habits and moods, and he would smile at her affectionately, even when she chided him. Hector was his cousin, and I'd yelled at him, going so far as shooting the shit out of the security equipment he'd tried to install in my apartment!

Silvio had been really sweet, but I hadn't been working with him for very long before he transferred to Miami, and Oh God, Ram! He was the one who was most often assigned to me when Ranger felt I needed a bodyguard , and I would constantly try to lose him, even going so far as to ditch him at the mall when I got tired of being followed everywhere I went. Unsuccessfully, of course. And he was married to Ranger's protective older sister? I was soooo dead now!

Then I remembered back to when I'd first started searches for Rangeman. Oh my God! I felt the warmth of embarrassment flood my face. Several times I'd griped to Ranger about Rodriguez's penchant for the most boring searches I'd ever seen, and all he'd ever done was just smile at me mysteriously and walk away. It's no small wonder I haven't ended up in a third-world-country before now. After all, this was a part of the Bat family I'd complained about!

I felt the vibrations in Ranger's chest as he chuckled. "Babe, they all love you, so don't worry. Celia's gonna be a little cranky, though, but she'll get over it. She never could understand why I was always helping you, even when you and Joe were together. She just thought you were using me." I tensed at that last comment, and felt his arm tighten around me. "I know, Steph. I was just as confused as you were, and I didn't have the added stress of another person in my life that I cared about enough to try to build something with. It doesn't matter anymore."

He sighed and leaned back in the chair, running his hand in circles absentmindedly over my back. I snuggled into him, suddenly feeling a whole lot better that he had understood how utterly torn I was, trying to decide if I could commit myself to a man who had no interest in seeing me fly, or if I should walk away from a life I had been born and raised to live, in order to fulfill my dreams. My only regret was the pain I'd put him through.

I wasn't going to think about Joe's so-called pain though, because as far as I was concerned, he hadn't been hurt through any of this. At least, not that I could see. All I saw were the lies and deception, and the manipulative way he tried to control me by turning my own mother against me. Oh, she would've still berated me even if Joe and I had never gotten together, because she's never forgiven me for divorcing Dickie. I'd gotten used to that transgression a long time ago, though, and usually just tuned her out when she would harp about how disappointed in me she was.

No, Joe had added a whole new level of dissention in my family with his "Cupcake, you need to quit your job and marry me."; "Cupcake, you need to stay away from Ranger. He's just trying to use you."; "Cupcake, at least get a job at the button factory. It's safer." and "Cupcake, we need to get started on our family before it's too late." _Ugh! I _hate_ that nickname! Cup this cake, you jerk! Couldn't he come up with something a little more original and a lot less pathetic? Like 'Babe'. Now there's a name I can live with! _

The rumble in Ranger's chest told me he was laughing, and I looked up at his face questioningly. "What?" I finally asked, exasperated when he continued to laugh.

"I'm glad you like the name 'Babe'. Much more suitable for you. Just please don't ask him to 'cup your cake' again, okay?" With that, he burst into a full-out laugh that was so infectious, I joined him.

We laughed for what seemed like forever, tears running down both our faces. When I finally got myself under control, I looked up at Ranger's face. "I should probably work on that 'thinking out loud' thing, huh?" He grinned and pushed a stray curl behind my ear.

"You may want to work on it around others, but I hope you never lose that habit when you're with me, Babe. I love following your thought processes!" The look on his face was so earnest and open, I had to believe him. I blushed, pleased that he wasn't looking at me like I was a lunatic, and instead complimented me on a habit that seemed to irritate others, namely my family. Joe was never too happy when I did it either.

"So, are we gonna be okay when Celia gets here? I don't want to be the cause of a rift between you two." I looked up at Ranger, anxiously searching his expression for some indication that I might want to hide under the bed when his sister arrived. He simply smiled and hugged me to him.

"You'll be fine, Steph. She might lay into me a bit, but she'd never show open hostility to a guest in my home, especially since Mia's here. She's a little more tactful around the kids. Besides, everyone here is on your side, and you'll have plenty of defenders after she gets through with me."

We sat there in silence, each comfortably contemplating his sister and her possible reaction to my presence, and quite possibly how the circumstances, once she was apprised of the current status of events, might alter her opinion. Even with his reassurances, I was still concerned; he was obviously very close to her, and I couldn't put him in the position of choosing me versus her. I'd walk before I would allow myself to tear his family apart.

The silence was interrupted by a soft knock on the door. At Ranger's "Enter", the door opened and Bobby popped his head inside. "Sorry to interrupt, but Celia just pulled up. You might want to be downstairs doing damage control before those two loons you're related to cause any more havoc." He threw me an encouraging smile and closed the door, leaving the two of us alone again.

Ranger turned me to face him, placing a light kiss on my forehead. "Well Babe, this is it." He lifted me off his lap as he stood, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and giving me a small squeeze when he noticed my apprehensive expression. "You'll be fine, Steph. Just remember I love you. That's all that matters."

I smiled a watery smile and reached up to kiss his cheek. "I love you, too. Remember that just in case I do something idiotic like run for the hills." I saw his face still, and realized how that sounded. "I won't run, I promise, but I may say or do something really stupid. It's up to you if you'd rather run for the hills yourself." I was more than half serious when I said that, and I knew he understood what I was saying. I was giving him an 'out' clause.

"I've never abandoned you Stephanie, and I never will. That's a promise. Just remember that." He was dead serious, and I knew I could count on his word. He only called me by my full name when he was serious, and Ranger never broke a promise. _Ever._

I squared my shoulders and tucked my arm around his waist, missing the look of pride on his face as I readied myself to go downstairs.

Time to meet the Bat sister!

tbc


	29. Chapter 29 Celia's POV

Disclaimer: Nope, nada, zilch. Happy now? Thanks Kym & Angie for the stupendous support (and the late night sessions)! This one's dedicated to Kym's Aunt Judy.

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 29

Celia's POV

WHEN MY NEIGHBOR, MRS. Malucci, told me she'd seen a rental car pull up to my home shortly after I left for my mother's, I was livid. I knew damn well the visitor could only be my brother Marcus, who had a habit of dropping in unannounced just when my husband Jason was coming off of a long stretch of working for my brother. I'll just bet the little sneak had been watching the house and waited for me to leave, since everyone in our family knew I always dropped the kids off at school before heading to the family house every other morning.

Mrs. Malucci also told me about the black Porsche SUV and the taxi cab that pulled up shortly after, and recognized my little brother getting out of the SUV. I was going to kill _both_ my brothers! Today was the first day off Jason's had in over two weeks, and I know he hadn't had much sleep during that period, much less spend any quality time with the kids. From what I'd been able to overhear, he was working on an extremely sensitive case that involved that bounty hunter woman, Stephanie Plum, who my little brother had taken an interest in.

I immediately climbed back into my SUV and headed towards one of Ric's houses that he used occasionally as a safe house, not even going inside the house to say hello to my dear husband. I'd deal with him later. I managed to hit all the lights perfectly, making good time in the lull of rush hour traffic before the workday broke for lunch. Perfect. I wanted to have a good mad going when I laid into my brothers for their surreptitious visits to my husband when he was finally getting the chance for some much-needed rest, and time to cool down wasn't in my game plan.

I probably broke a few traffic laws as I snaked my way through the few cars I encountered, my anger building and simmering with every mile. I was torn two different ways as to who to direct that anger against when I reached Ric's house. Marcus and Ric, for holding clandestine meetings at my home when my husband was supposed to be getting some well-deserved rest, or my little brother for allowing himself to be drawn into another situation that put his life in danger by a woman who seemed to call him only when she needed help, but gave him nothing in return.

That last thought had me hitting speed dial on my phone as I shot down the expressway. As much as I hated the thought of forewarning them of my arrival, the alternative, them shooting first and asking questions later, was less attractive. When Lester answered, the conversation was short and not very sweet. I simply informed him that I was on my way, and that my brothers had better be there when I arrived, _or else._

I had mixed feelings about this woman Stephanie. On the one hand, she had to be someone special in order to pique my brother's interest, and the stories Jason and Lester told at family dinners usually had us laughing and cheering, not to mention Aunt Ella's high praises. My cousin Freddy even mentioned her a few times, and he seldom said much at all. The newspapers always had something to say about her as well; reporting on the numerous car bombings and fires that seemed to occur with frightening regularity around her.

On the other hand, though, there were times when I'd hear about when she'd go back to her cop boyfriend, even though they apparently seldom got along very well, according to the guys. Those times I'd cheerfully like to shoot the woman, because Ric would don his 'Ranger' persona, become morose and even more incommunicative than usual, and would avoid family get-togethers for weeks at a time. This in turn always upset our parents and grandmother; Abuela Rosa seeming to take it harder than the rest of us.

Ric was her favorite, and although this circumstance would cause most other families difficulty, it was simply a fact in ours. Everyone in our family was a little over-protective of Ric, since he was the baby. Abuela however, seemed to understand his reckless attitude much better than the rest of us, and had managed to harness Ric's rebellious nature when he was a teenager, along with my cousin Lester's, and encouraged them to put their active minds to use in more productive endeavors.

Because of her efforts, not only was Ric able to acquire good enough grades to get a scholarship to Rutgers, but Lester actually met and married the perfect woman for him. Granted she was an exotic dancer when they met, but Mari was, and still is, the best thing that ever happened to my cousin, aside from their daughter. I found her refreshing and stubborn; two qualities sure to keep my Lotharios cousin in line, as well as providing the stability he was want to ignore in his youth. Abuela still harbored hopes that Ric would be as fortunate, even after his disastrous marriage, hence the over-zealous nature to protect him. Rachel was a real piece of work during the divorce.

It seemed as if in no time at all, I was winding my way up the track that led to Ric's home, still furious at the actions of my brothers, although curiosity about Stephanie Plum was slowly starting to override that emotion. Would she be here with my brother and his men, or was there no need for her to be hiding away, as the overheard comments suggested? What was it about her that had Ric so tied up in knots, his men enchanted, and my Aunt gushing whenever her name was brought up in conversations? One way or another, I was going to find out about this 'Bombshell Bounty Hunter', and soon, since I had just pulled up to the house.

Just as my foot hit the top step of the porch, the front door opened to reveal the smiling face of my brother Marcus. His expression only fueled the anger I had initially felt when I heard about his visit, even though I probably should have felt joy at his presence. After all, he wasn't around as much as he used to be, although we saw considerably more of him than Ric lately. No, I was just pissed that the rat had the gall to delay the rest Jason needed. I wanted my husband to be relaxed and enjoy his time with our kids when they came home from school, and not still be trying to catch up on his sleep. We saw very little of him as it was, and this little stunt they pulled this morning would definitely set him back.

I stepped up to my brother and allowed him to embrace me, murmuring "you are so dead, brother" in his ear before making my way into the house. I heard him chuckle behind me, but decided to let that go…for now. I wanted to see if the woman who managed to cause so much upheaval in my youngest brother's life was present before I laid into him.

When I entered the living room, all eyes turned towards me; Mia's in delight, while Mari, Lester and Bobby were smirking. Ric and a woman who I recognized from the paper as Stephanie Plum were coming down the stairs, their hands entwined with Ric leading. _Or maybe he was dragging her_. Her face was pale, openly showing her trepidation, whereas Ric's was carefully blank…again.

"So Ricardo, are you going to introduce us?" I was still seething, and a bit of that emotion had leaked through, giving my voice a decidedly sharper edge. He eyed me warily, finally inclining his head slightly in agreement.

"Celia, may I present Stephanie Plum. Babe, this is my sister Celia." I noticed he'd laid a reassuring hand on her lower back, and I narrowed my eyes. I couldn't place it, but something seemed different, as if the dynamics of their relationship had changed. The hostility I'd felt for this woman suddenly seemed unwarranted, so I bit back a caustic comment and stepped forward, my hand held out in a friendly gesture of greeting.

"Hello, Stephanie. I'm so pleased to finally meet the woman who's managed to ensnare my little brother's heart, as well as enchanted several other members of our family." I noticed she seemed hesitant, and I caught the quick glance she shot at Ric before she clasped my hand. Hmm. Looks like there's been a new development or two I haven't been made aware of.

Evidently she hadn't been prepared for such an about face in my attitude. To tell the truth, I was a bit shocked myself. I'd felt a lot of resentment towards this woman for a long time, but now that I'd met her, I had to revise my opinion. She was nothing like the bitch I'd envisioned, nor did I feel the animosity that had been present only this morning. I felt like I had to reevaluate my previous impression of this woman.

"I'm um…I'm pleased to meet you, Celia. Ric has told me absolutely _nothing _about you, so I hope you'll forgive me if I'm a little flustered." Her face was very expressive, and even though I'd always been very astute at reading other people's body language, the dimmest bulb in the light socket could read the worry that she was feeling. I'd hazard a guess that although he might not have told her much, he'd apparently given her some type of warning about me. Good. I turned and pinned my little brother with a look.

"So, is anyone gonna tell me what's going on here? Or do I have to guess?" I looked at the sea of faces surrounding me, giving them all a glare and hoped that _someone_ would start talking before I had to switch into rhino mode. Bobby and Lester both looked away, Mari grinned and shrugged, and my brother Marcus just stood and stared at me with a panicked look on his face, flicking a glance at Ric, then turning his gaze back to me. None of them seemed too motivated to enlighten me, instead deferring to Ric to take center stage.

Damn! I hated trying to pry information out of my youngest brother when he was in 'Ranger' mode. I'd have better luck storming the White House with a slingshot and taking the President hostage while breastfeeding! I sighed and decided to bring out the big guns, knowing it would piss Ric off, but at least I'd finally get the answer to at least _some_ of questions that were rolling around in my head.

I brought out my 'Mom' look, laughing gleefully inside when I noticed subtle changes to the faces of all the men standing before me. The look on Stephanie's face, however, took the prize when she too noticed the differences in their expressions.

Shock and wonder were the predominate emotions I recognized, with maybe just a little envy mixed in. Oh, this girl needed my help desperately if I was reading the circumstances here correctly! Ric had changed his position, moving ever so slightly to end up with Stephanie in front of him much like a shield, his hand placed protectively on her hip. My cousin had pretty much mirrored my brother's stance, standing just behind Mari to place her between us.

My other brother didn't have a handy shield to use against me, _not that that's stopped me before_, so he receded to the background, pushing Bobby to the forefront of the group and thus in the line of fire when I glared at him.

The sound of a throat clearing brought my attention back to Ric and Stephanie. I was surprised to see her expression had changed to one of amusement and sorrow, tinted heavily with a seething anger she worked to control as she too noticed the change in the physical arrangement of the group. After a quick glance and an affirmative nod from Ric, she began to speak, her tone implying she was sorry to have to be the one to enlighten me, but _someone_ needed to grow a set!

"Unfortunately, someone I've been encouraged to trust and respect is slightly pissed off at me, and seems to have taken the wrong approach to expressing his… displeasure." Boy, that had to be one of the most sanitized pieces of crap for an explanation I'd _ever_ heard, and I've been told some doozies! Did she go to college to learn how to speak like that, or had she been spending too much time with my little brother and his employees? It hit a nerve.

I laughed sardonically and looked her straight in the eye. "Try again, sister. A little 'displeasure', as you call it, does _not_ warrant my husband and family working themselves to exhaustion for the past two weeks, nor does it usually require a safe house with live-in bodyguards and Rangeman security. I'd like the real reason you're all sequestered up here in the boonies and my husband hasn't had a spare minute to spend with his kids!"

I was taken aback by the sudden paleness of her face and the naked pain she was trying valiantly to hide. Before I could so much as comment on the sudden change, my youngest brother spoke up, his voice displaying a barely suppressed anger that I hadn't seen in him since he was a teenager.

"Cut it out, Celia. Her supposedly 'loving' boyfriend has been terrorizing her and damn near had her killed just to get her to cut all of us out of her life and marry his cheating ass. She doesn't need to hear your shit right now, and we _definitely_ don't deserve any more bitchy comments about Jason being too tired to spend any time with you and the kids lately. He volunteered, just like the rest of the guys, and we're all too damn sick and disgusted to get the third degree from you or anyone else. Give it a rest!" He was struggling to bring himself back under control, his hands fisted at his sides to keep from giving me a well-deserved smack.

I felt the blood draining from my face as Stephanie blanched and turned, walking stiffly up the stairs and ignoring the hand he hastily put out to detain her, as well as his murmured "Babe".

Oh my God! No wonder they'd been working themselves to death lately, their expressions grim and the smiles few and far between! I felt like the lowest person on the planet right then, shooting an apologetic glance at the assembled group before rushing up the stairs after the distraught woman, ignoring Ric's ominous "Celia".

I reached Ric's bedroom and tapped on the door lightly before pushing it open, not expecting or receiving an invitation to enter. My eyes were immediately drawn to the window where a silently crying Stephanie stood, her face averted away from the door after glancing to see who had followed her.

I walked hesitantly towards her, my mind desperately grasping at suitable words of contrition. I couldn't for the life of me think of an apology that I considered adequate enough to convey my self-loathing at the hurt that my thoughtless tirade had produced.

Before I could open my mouth though, she spoke up softly, sorrow evident in her voice as well as her posture. "I'm so sorry that Ram's been too busy trying help me that he hasn't had much time for his own family. Had I known the circumstances, I'd have put a stop to it immediately. I just hope this whole mess doesn't drive a wedge between you and your brother. I'll walk away before I'd let that happen. I know you're very close."

That stopped me. She didn't know what had been happening? She must've turned her head and noticed my look of shock. She sniffed and wiped a tear from her cheek before turning back to the window.

"Ra…Ric had me brought up here yesterday morning and Lester showed me the file on their investigation." She wiped another tear from her cheek angrily. "I didn't suspect…didn't realize what was…" A sniff and swallow that followed before she whispered "I didn't know."

Can you say 'heartless harridan'? Because that's what I felt like; _Ladies and Gentlemen, the worlds biggest shrew has entered the building, and she's locked her autopilot on 'snippy bitch'. Get out while you can! _

I'd have given anything right then to take back all the snarky comments I'd made; in fact, I'd almost go so far as to wish I'd confronted my husband instead. Almost. First things first, however. I'd never forgive myself, nor expect Ric or the rest of the family to forgive me, if I didn't try to undo some of the damage I'd done with my mouth. I was gonna put my head on the chopping block, and hope Stephanie Plum didn't hack it off!

tbc


	30. Chapter 30 Marcus's POV

Disclaimer: Please see previous chapters.

My apologies for this being so short, and especially for taking so long to update. RL has not been very nice, and my muse even nastier!

Huge thanks to Gayle for stepping up and helping me out. You're the best, Babe!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 30

Marcus's POV

I WASN'T ALL THAT pleased to receive a call from my mother saying that she was worried about Ric, and that he and Lester, as well as my brother-in-law Jason, hadn't been to any family dinners in over two weeks. I'd just finished working on a particularly frustrating serial rape case that covered several states, and was due some down time. Family problems were the last thing I wanted on my plate right now, but I couldn't say no. The anxiety in my mother's voice was enough to quell the irritation, and I agreed to go home to Newark to see what I could find out. Something told me their absence from family gatherings had to do with that female bounty hunter that Lester was always teasing my brother about.

Our whole family has been hearing about Stephanie Plum for quite a while now, and we'd all been bugging Ric to bring her home every time we got together. It was during the time he was accused of murder that our mother had made the comment that he'd finally found his soulmate, which had pretty much floored us all. Lester had looked at her knowingly and nodded his head, then grimaced. He knew more than anyone how hard his cousin had fought to keep himself closed off from any and all relationships, family notwithstanding. He also understood his reasons as well as I did.

The more I'd heard about 'The Bombshell Bounty Hunter', the more I liked her, and although Ric would never admit it, just the mention of her name seemed to calm him in a way I'd never seen before. That reason alone was enough to endear her to our family, but it was the risks she took time after time on behalf of my brother and our family that cemented the feeling that she belonged to us.

When Jason had shown me the working file he had at the house just before Ric arrived, I could feel the anger build higher and higher with each subsequent incident documented before me. The profiler in me noted the escalating erratic behavior, and made my blood run cold long before finishing the file. This man _had _to be stopped – the sooner the better – and even if it cost me my badge with the FBI, I'd use every resource available to assist my brother and his men to take the cop down.

I'd immediately placed a phone call to the Bureau, asking a buddy of mine to run the family history on one Joseph Anthony Morelli; a niggling thought poking me to follow up on something I'd read. I'd seen other similar cases, and if my hunch was right, we'd need to think outside the box in order to apprehend the man. I needed the Intel my buddy could provide me before voicing my hunch to Ric, and until I heard back from him, I was hesitant to speculate on the cop's next move. This would be where I could help my brother and Stephanie Plum the most, and I was more than happy to accommodate that need.

The meeting with Frank Plum had been surprising; all Ric had said was to watch closely and keep an open mind about the man. He hadn't elaborated on his reasons, other to say that there was more to the man than meets the eye, but only a few minutes after meeting Mr. Plum, I understood what he'd meant. We'd both been shocked when we were enlightened as to just exactly _who_ Frank Plum was, and even more so when he told us a little of his history. Ric had simply stood quietly behind us with an almost smile on his face, almost but not quite hiding his admiration.

After Mr. Plum and his nephew, the Trenton police officer had left, Ric finally explained that every time he'd seen Frank Plum, which was mostly when he'd been escorting Stephanie to her parent's home after rescuing her from one mishap or another, that he'd recognized a look in the man's eyes that he knew all too well. He shared with us the fact that Mr. Plum showed a little more interest in him than he thought a co-worker or friend would garner, which first piqued his interest in the man.

He also informed us that his military file had been accessed, and by someone with the same clearance level as he, which was unusual for the type of work he did as a government operative. It got him thinking a little harder. It finally hit him that the man had, and was still, playing the role of a typical 'burg man; never allowing anyone to see the man inside the façade. Until now.

I was more than a little surprised when Ric stopped to pick up Lester's wife and daughter, since I couldn't imagine either my cousin or my brother placing Mari or Mia in a position that could possibly get them targeted. Then I realized that their presence here at the safe house would actually keep them out of the thick of things and where they could be watched, as well as providing some much-needed female companionship for Ms Plum. I just hadn't realized that there was another purpose behind Mari's 'visit'.

The shocking part of the evening came when Stephanie came downstairs after talking with Mari, and heading into the kitchen where Lester had banished Ric. Never would I have envisioned my little brother finally allowing himself show his feelings to another woman. He tried with Rachel, but there just wasn't anything there. Like Abuela told us, she wasn't his soulmate.

I love my sister; I really do, but right then I didn't like her very much. I can't recall the last time I'd seen her act so nastily to someone she'd never even met before. Of course, that had changed drastically when Ric laid into her, but still…

Before today, Celia had always been a champion for the woman; seldom voicing anything but admiration for the things we'd heard about her other than to ask Ric what he saw in her. He never answered her probing questions, and she'd always let the subject slide. I'd catch the speculative looks she would throw, but never commented except to teasingly accuse my sister of being jealous that our little brother was finally falling for someone. She'd laugh it off and smack me on the arm, saying that "someday you'll understand", leaving me wondering what the hell she was talking about. Now those words came back to me, but I was still having a hard time deciphering their meaning.

Now as I watched her head up the stairs after Stephanie, I was filled with more than just a little bit of irritation at my sister. For someone who seemed like she knew everything there was to know about feelings, she was absolutely clueless when it came to Ric's woman. I saw how her digs had made Stephanie flinch, the hurt visibly apparent on her face. I felt sorry for her, since I knew more about what was going on than before, and understood just how cutting my sister could be; with words as well as tone. She'd mastered the 'mom' look, and I know I wasn't the only one affected by her tirade. Celia could be really scary sometimes!

For once I was the one to hold Ric back when all he wanted to do was to follow the women upstairs, his obvious intention to protect his woman evident to all of us. I wasn't the only one to see the look on my sister's face when my brother finished chastising her for laying into Stephanie, and I also knew Celia would be beating herself up inside even as she tried to apologize to the other woman for her thoughtless remarks. It was best left to the two of them to work it out, and although Ric would allow them that opportunity, he'd be chomping at the bit until he knew the outcome. That thought had all of us in the room worried about the same thing. We all knew my sister too well.

"Ric, you want Mari to go upstairs with them?" Lester asked, ignoring the look his wife gave him. She shook her head before anyone could answer.

"I'm sure Stephanie can hold her own, and from the look on Celia's face, there's gonna be a lot of groveling done on her part. Let them work it out," she said, turning to go into the living room and join her daughter in front of the TV. I had to agree with Mari; she knew both women enough to know what she was talking about, and after all, _she_ was a woman too.

Lester shook his head and eyed Ric. He knew just the suggestion of the conversation upstairs turning adversarial, he'd be up there like a shot. Knowing my sister, I'd probably be right behind him. Celia could quite possibly undo everything my sorry younger brother has done to get their relationship on the track he wanted.

It was more than an hour later when we heard the bedroom door upstairs open, followed by two sets of footsteps coming down the stairs. Everyone with the exception of Ric pretended to be engrossed in something else, but it didn't take a genius to see that all ears were tuned to the two of them as they rejoined us in the living room. Stephanie was smiling, a little reluctantly I thought, and Celia looked like she just avoided being strung up by her toenails. From the look on Ric's face, I'd say she was pretty accurate in her assessment of just how pissed off my brother still was, especially from the look he shot her before turning his attention to Steph.

Although he wasn't showing much, it was pretty obvious he was trying to hold back from crushing her to him in an effort to keep her shielded from harm. He kept his hands to himself through what I thought was a huge effort, though; stopping a hairsbreadth in front of her and studying her face for any sign of distress. She smiled reassuredly at him and touched his cheek with her hand, smoothing her fingertips over the lines of tension visible around his mouth and eyes. I wasn't close enough to hear what she said, but whatever is was had him relaxing in relief.

I walked over to Celia and put my arm around her shoulders, dropping a kiss in her hair to let her know I was there for her. She reached over and squeezed my arm in response, saying in a low voice, "Sorry, Marc. I owe Ric a huge apology too, but I think I'll give them a few moments. I'd say they need some space right now from the rest of us; me especially, and I'm the last person that wants to intrude on them any more than I have."

I nodded my head in agreement, turning around to the living room and pulling her with me to join the others in front of the TV. From what I observed, it seemed Stephanie Plum was more than capable of diffusing Ric's anger; something I've only witnessed Abuela being able to do when my brother was a rebellious teen. Maybe mama was right – they were soulmates after all.

tbc


	31. Chapter 31 Ranger's POV

Disclaimer: Please refer to previous chapters. My apologies for the ridiculous length of time it's taken to update this story. Murphy's been in rare form the past couple of months, and RL has NOT been a whole lotta fun. Your patience and encouragement is truly appreciated! I'm also woefully aware that this chapter doesn't move the story along at this point, but considering what's coming up, I thought the gang could use some fluff before I start throwing shit at 'em. My grateful thanks to Angie, who's been a huge help in getting my muse kick started for both this story and Another Day…. Thanks Babe!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 31

Ranger's POV

NEVER ONCE, UNTIL TODAY, have I ever wanted to hit my sister. I knew the moment Celia stepped into the room there was going to be trouble. I may be a grown man, but she's never backed off playing mother hen to me, and since there was no way she could know how much had changed between Steph and I, it was only a matter of time before she decided to confront her. She'd already threatened to do just that on the phone last week, and although I'd told her to stay out of my personal business like always, she refused to be convinced that having a 'woman to woman' conversation with Steph would be a bad thing.

Even when I was a teenager before I went to live with Abuela, she'd always butt into my business, making me so frustrated sometimes that I'd slam out of the house rather than argue with her. Now I wanted to wring her neck for sticking her nose in my business once again. Just seeing Steph lose all the color in her face and the sudden stillness in her body told me she'd been hurt deeply, and I wanted to kick the shit out of my sister for the pain she'd caused my woman. As it was, it took every ounce of control I had to keep my hands away from her neck as I laid into her. My only consolation was the evidence that she realized she'd gone too far by the look of horror after hearing everything that had happened in the past two weeks.

I really didn't want her to follow Steph up the stairs, but I knew my sister very well; the guilt she was feeling, as well as the need to apologize and make amends, needed to be done, and she was impelled to take responsibility for the trouble she'd caused. This wasn't something I could fix, nor was I the person who needed to make the effort. It was Celia's mistake, therefore she would need to make things right on her own, and all I could do was hope I still had a future with Steph after she was finished.

It was exactly one hour and eleven minutes before the bedroom door opened and we heard Steph and my sister come down the stairs, Steph looking a little strained but much better than when she'd left the room earlier. Celia, on the other hand, looked like she'd just escaped a death sentence. I shot her a furious look before turning my attention to Stephanie, studying her face for an indication of what she was thinking. Her smile looked a little forced, but the tenderness I saw in her eyes, coupled with her soft hand touching my cheek and her reassuring "I'm okay, Ric. I love you" had me almost collapsing in relief.

Everyone left us alone while we stood there for several minutes gathering strength, telling each other with our eyes how much we loved each other, and that we'd always be there when we needed to be comforted, or loved, or even just to be held. I can't remember ever feeling as much emotion as I did then, except maybe when we were in bed sharing our bodies. This was a whole new level of love that I hadn't realized I was missing, and that I needed before, until now.

Finally I couldn't deny myself the luxury of holding her any longer, so I wrapped my arms around her slight frame and pulled her into my body, feeling her relax against me as we drank in the scent and feel of each other. Her arms had snaked around my back and squeezed hard, as if she was afraid we'd be torn apart. I hung on just as tightly, knowing she needed the comfort just as much as I did.

After a while I drew back just enough to see her face, startled to see tears slipping down her cheeks. At my questioning look, she smiled softly, shaking her head and laying her forehead against my chest. I heard her mumble something and drew back again, lifting an eyebrow the way I knew drove her nuts.

"It's all right. After talking with Celia I realized just how much you've risked all these years to keep me safe, and how much it's cost you. I understand now how much you love me. How you've _always_ loved me." She started to get a little teary again at the last part, and thinking back to all those times I _did_ almost lose her, it was all I could do not to follow suit. To never be able to hold her in my arms like this, and share ourselves like we had last night…guess it was time to borrow a page from her book, because I refused to contemplate how empty my future would have been without her. Not anymore.

Everyone had pretty much left us alone, going into the living room to watch TV with Mia. I understood why they, especially Celia, wanted to give us some space. Thinking about her, I started to get pissed again, replaying in my mind the way she'd confronted Stephanie. Seems Steph can read me better than she used to, because just when I was getting ready to have it out with my sister, I felt her hand touch my face as she stretched up to brush her lips across mine.

"Don't. We had a long talk, and I'm fine now. She apologized for making assumptions, and I think we're actually starting to be friends. Please let it go." She looked so earnest when she pleaded with me, and when I saw the sincerity in her eyes, it made me so proud of her, and then I realized something else. She didn't need me to fight all her battles; she needed me to hold her after she fought them herself.

"Proud of you, Babe," I said gruffly, just before pulling her close so I could bury my face in her neck and inhale her scent again. I felt her hands snake their way around my waist again, gripping the tops of my cargos for better purchase. I smiled, thinking I'd much rather be upstairs in my room with her naked than standing here while everyone watched. And they _were_ watching; I could feel their furtive glances almost like a touch, even hearing the whispers between Celia and Marcus as they talked about their 'baby brother' finally taking the plunge. I've always had very acute hearing…

Normally this practice of theirs irritated me, but right now I wasn't in the mood to rise to the bait, which is what I was convinced they were trying to do. This wasn't the first time they'd tried to goad me into losing control and consequently my temper over something so silly and childish, in their opinion at least, and I firmly believed it wasn't the last. And they say younger siblings are the bane of their elder's existence_._ Hah! Guess whoever they were had never met anyone like _my_ family!

I hadn't counted on Steph realizing what was going on, nor would I have predicted what happened next. She lifted her head, smiling confidently while she collected herself, and turned in the circle of my arms to give my brother and sister a look that could melt metal. The surprise I saw on Marcus's face almost made me laugh, but the look on Celia's face was absolutely priceless. No one, with the exception of our parents and Jason, has _ever_ managed to make my sister blush. Until now. Steph accomplished what I thought was impossible with a simple look, and if I hadn't still been so irritated with my meddling sibling, I would have lost my composure entirely. My Babe _never_ disappoints!

Lester's chuckle broke through the cloud of pride and possessiveness I'd been wrapped in, and all eyes swung to focus on his face. "I wish I had my camera. The family's never gonna believe this one. Talk about a Kodak moment!" With the jab Mari administered to his ribs, he still couldn't contain his amusement, which only increased when my brother let out a startled guffaw.

Celia's complexion darkened considerably as her embarrassment grew, and while Marcus openly laughed at our sister's discomfort, even I had to smother a grin when I envisioned the whole tableau like the scene of a play. My cousin was right; a picture of her face with its current expression would be the icing on the cake – _Steph's preoccupation with desserts was seeping into my consciousness_ – of the family pictures that dominated my parent's home.

Our attention was diverted by the flash of a camera, and we all looked in the direction it came from. Bobby was grinning like a maniac as he hurriedly fumbled with his phone; my guess he was sending the contraband picture to somewhere my sister didn't have access to, just in case she managed to get hold of his cell phone. _Does my core team have my back or what?_

"Robert Aloysius Brown, if you so much as _think_ about sending that picture to anyone else, I swear to God I'll kill you!" Celia screeched as she launched herself at Bobby, eliciting a surprised exclamation from my friend as well as a burst of delighted laughter from the rest of us gathered around the room. I'd say the odds were good that Bobby was gonna be receiving an extra few days off with pay after this whole Morelli nightmare was over with.

I stood and watched as my friend and my sister tussled for control of his cell phone, Stephanie leaning against my chest with her arms on top of mine. I gave her a reassuring squeeze as we enjoyed just holding each other while everyone else joined in the fray, ultimately ending in a pile on the floor with Bobby and Marcus on the bottom. Even Mia had torn herself away from the TV and thrown herself on top of the melee, giggling hysterically when numerous hands began to tickle Celia mercilessly.

It had been a long time since we'd had a few moments to unwind such as everyone was doing now. The past few weeks had been extremely difficult for myself and my men, not to mention the strain Steph had been under. Watching my family and friends at that moment brought back something Abuela Rosa used to tell me when I was a teenager and getting into scrapes with the law. '_**Enjoy present pleasures in such a way as not to injure future ones.'**_*** **I'd count tonight as one of those pleasures.

After everyone seemed to have exhausted themselves with wrestling, we all settled down on the couches in front of the TV, making small talk and generally enjoying each other's company. Mia curled up next to her father and immediately fell asleep, prompting my cousin to excuse himself while he carefully lifted his daughter's slumbering body and carried her into one of the guest rooms. He returned moments later during a lull in the conversation, his expression inquisitive.

"What'd I miss?" he asked, a slight whining note in his voice.

"Nothing much," Marcus answered as he looked pointedly at Stephanie who was cuddled up against my side. "Just talking about Stephanie's newest problem. She doesn't seem to think it's worth dealing with it."

"And which problem would that be?" Lester asked.

Before anyone could fill him in, Steph piped up, shooting my brother a glare that didn't quite meet the ferocity of the one that laid out Celia. "Hey, **I'm a firm believer in running away from one's problems. It's a great strategy, right up there with denial. Plus, it's the only exercise I get"****…_well, that I'm willing to talk about in public anyway_,she thought to herself.

Lester began choking to cover up his laughter as Bobby turned partially away, biting his lip as he pretended to read one of his medical journals he'd hastily picked up, while Mari and Celia simply grinned as my brother blushed beet red. I simply chuckled before turning Steph around to face me, tucking a stray curl behind her ear while I debated what to say to her that might lessen her embarrassment. She really hated her habit of thinking out loud, while I absolutely adored it.

"Querida, I think maybe that's a topic we'll discuss later when there aren't so many ears listening in." Her eyes widened in shock as the realization hit that she'd actually spoken her thoughts out loud again, pink suffusing her face prettily. I stood and reached my hand down to her, pulling her up into my arms as I guided the both of us towards the stairs. "And on that note, we're going to wish everyone a good night. Tomorrow's gonna be a busy day, so we're going to bed. I suggest everyone else do the same."

"Well, Marcus and Bobby might find 'doing the same' more difficult that you and I, Ric!" I heard Lester snicker just as we began climbing the stairs. Steph's gasp told me she'd heard my cousin's comment, causing her to speed up her ascent to the bedroom. I don't think she heard, however, the smack Mari delivered, nor his surprised "Ow!" just before we entered the bedroom and closed the door.

Sometimes I wondered if Lester had been switched at birth.

tbc

*from Das & Xylia's January 2010 Babe Squad challenge

** from Denny & Anna's January 2010 Perfectly Plum challenge

Word count without Title & disclaimers - 2238


	32. Chapter 32 Morelli snippet

Disclaimer: I don't own any of them, I'm not making a damn thing, and I'll return 'em all. Ranger, however, is legally changing his name so I'm keeping him. Janet can keep the name! Huge thanks to Angie for suggesting content, and Kym for always being there to stroke my ego when I'm not sure what I'm doing. Thanks Babes! Sorry it's so short, but there's gonna be a couple more of these. A lot of you have commented about wondering what Morelli's thinking during certain chapters, and since I really hate writing about the guy (he's too much like my ex) I figured you'd get small doses here and there and I could keep my breakfast down. This is another entry for Das & Xy's Wisdom challenge on BS.

**Locked Up & Pissed Off**– pt 32

Morelli's POV at the beginning…

WHEN I PULLED UP to Stephanie's apartment building after the call went out about the explosion, I could barely conceal the displeasure I felt when I caught sight of Manoso standing in the parking lot next to his car talking on his cell phone. He was watching the scene with detached interest as he listened to whoever was on the other end of the line.

I saw no sign of my Cupcake, although her burned-out POS sat smoldering next to the dumpster; several uniforms standing around as they waited for the wreck to cool enough to allow closer inspection. Several of her neighbors stood near the building gawking as the firemen finished checking for hot spots.

I walked over to Mrs. Karwatt, casually inquiring as to the whereabouts of my girlfriend.

"Oh Detective! It was most exciting! That man in black cuffed her and put her into a black truck that one of those big men who works for him was driving. They left even before the fire trucks got here! She was angry, that one! Where do you suppose he took her? He went up to her apartment right after she left and got her hamster and a duffel bag. Do you think she's going home with him now? I heard she broke up with you last week." She looked at me smugly, amusement dancing across her face as she clasped her hands excitedly in front of her.

The displeasure turned to rage as I detected a note of snideness in her attitude. I took a deep breath before replying. "We're just caught in a slight groove right now. She'll be coming back to me as soon as she cools down. It was just a minor disagreement."

"Well if you ask me, I'd say that it's more than a groove. More like a big rut, and I'd hazard a guess that that girl is finished with this whole business of the back-and-forth you two do." Another neighbor, Mr. Wolesky commented wryly.

Mrs. Karwatt nodded her head in agreement before I could correct her. **"There's a very fine line between a groove and a rut; a fine line between eccentrics and people who are just plain nuts." **She snickered at me knowingly.

I clenched my teeth and fists before I lashed out at the both of them; turning away towards Manoso to get some answers. He'd apparently finished his phone conversation and had joined my colleagues congregated around the wreckage, talking to them quietly as I approached.

Before I reached them, he turned away and headed towards his car, opening the driver's door before I could stop him. I ran after him, grabbing his arm before he could get into the car.

"Manoso! Where is she? What have you done with Stephanie?" I was shaking with anger. How dare he interfere! Stephanie was mine!

He looked at me coldly, his eyes and face expressionless. "Hands off, Morelli," he growled.

A filmy red haze seemed to have settled over my vision and I shoved at him, barely moving him before I felt hands grabbing me from behind. "C'mon, Joe. This isn't the time or the place for this." I couldn't be sure who had spoken.

I glared my hatred at the son of a bitch, itching to bury my fist in his face. "I could arrest you for kidnapping, you bastard! Now where is she? What have you done to my Cupcake?"

He ignored my outburst as he slipped into his car with smooth precision and started the engine. He barely glanced my way before he accelerated out of the parking lot, leaving me frustrated and angry. The urge to follow him was almost overpowering, but I couldn't move out of the grip the guys behind me had on my arms.

The bastard was going to pay, and then he would disappear. I'd make sure of that, after I did a little bit of nuisance removal…

Word count without disclaimer - 655


	33. Chapter 33 Lester's POV

Disclaimer: Nope, nada, zilch. Ain't that a bitch? This one's for Xylia, because we've missed her around here lately. Welcome back, Babe! Hugs and huge thanks to Angie for her awesome beta skills, and Kym for reassuring my whiny ass!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 33

Lester's POV

IT WAS 6 AM and I was sitting at the counter in the kitchen drinking coffee, trying to wake up. We'd cancelled our usual run this morning and Bobby had made sure I was up to take the next watch over the house. Since there were four of us now that could share shifts and keep an eye out, Ric had decided one person on guard during the night was enough. Bobby had volunteered for the first shift, citing that I hadn't been able to go home and spend time with my family as I was entitled to. Boy, sometimes that guy makes it really hard to give him shit; especially when he does something nice like that!

Last night's events, starting with my cousin Celia's impromptu visit, relieved a lot of the stress we'd been feeling lately, especially with Ric and the family. After Celia had left for home, most of us had managed to get some much needed rest, and she'd promised she would clue my aunt and uncle in about the recent happenings that precluded our regular weekly attendance at Sunday dinner. I didn't miss Ric's warning to her not to blab about the case with Stephanie though, nor where she was staying. You gotta spell it out to Celia, because otherwise she'd just tell Ric "you never told me I couldn't say anything". That's Celia, the consummate tattle-tale.

Cops like Morelli have a long reach, and neither Ric nor I would put it past him to have someone watching the neighborhood where Casa Manoso was located in hopes of following someone that might know where Ric's house was. Not that it would do the cop any good, since only Celia knew about this place. The house we were at was considered a safe house, and not the same one that Steph would label 'the Batcave'. The Batcave… now that just cracks me up!

We knew that Steph and the girls at the bond's office referred to Ric as Batman behind his back, among several other nicknames, and a couple of us have even heard her call him that to his face. He treated it like a joke, but Tank and I knew he was sometimes uncomfortable with the moniker. After all, what guy can seriously live up to a reputation as a super hero 24/7? Although sometimes I know Superman is a favorite among most guys when it comes to the bedroom…

My thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of my cell phone. I sighed in resignation; that would be Tank calling judging by the ring tone, and I knew without a doubt it wouldn't be good news. Tank never calls with good news when it's my ass in charge of passing on all the incoming intel to Ric. I flipped open my phone.

"Yeah, Tank. What's up? You know I'm only on my first cup of coffee, right?" I asked him sourly. Sometimes it sucks to be the boss's cousin _and_ one of his partners.

Evidently Tank either woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, or more likely, never got acquainted with it last night in the first place, because his attitude was even worse than Steph's in the morning when Ric picks her up to go running.

"Yeah well, you might wanna skip the coffee and go straight for the bourbon when you hear this. We found Elvis Diana in the 'Barrens, and he won't be testifying against Morelli at his trial. Looks like the animals got to him before he could bleed to death, so there was barely enough of him left to identify the body," he informed me testily.

Fuck. He was the only live witness we'd had left that could conclusively send the cop to prison for life since the death penalty was banned in 2007. Now the case would have to rely solely on circumstantial evidence and the testimonies of a bag lady and a dope addict. Not that Diana was an upstanding citizen by any means, but his own involvement in one of the attempts on Steph's life was a huge factor in the believability of the evidence, which would help with swaying the jury to convict. McAllister _really_ had his work cut out for him now.

"Okay, I'll go wake up Ric and give him the bad news. You might wanna double the guards on our friends in Philly and give the heads up to the guys on the street. Looks like Marcus hit it on the nose when he said Morelli was escalating." I didn't use to put much stock in profiling, but Marcus had been doing his job for a long time, and he'd seldom made a mistake when suggesting that a suspect might behave a certain way when their freedom was threatened. Being that we were dealing with a cop though, we would have to be more flexible in our approach. Morelli didn't seem to be thinking inside the box.

"Affirmative. I need to catch some shuteye for a couple of hours, so Hal will be handling things here until Ram gets in. I was out at the scene all night working with the cops, along with Zero and Eddie, and I've sent Zip to relieve Manny. He refused to leave his post guarding the Plums since we're spread so thin; I had to threaten to put him on report so he'd go back to Rangeman and crash in the dorm." He let out a grunt of exhaustion.

"Call in some more contract workers then, and notify Boston we may be borrowing a few of their guys. Keep the regulars on the streets hunting for Morelli, and have the contract guys keep the office running." I thought for a moment. "Oh, and put someone on the bond's office and Mooner's. The cop knows Steph would do as he demanded if he threatened him and his buddy Dougie, and she'd be even more cooperative if he went after Connie and Lula. Let's not give him any more ammunition than he's already had."

"Will do. Good luck with being messenger boy." A click signified that Tank had hung up; I snapped my phone closed and leaned my head on my arms that I'd laid on the counter. Maybe Tank's suggestion of bourbon instead of coffee had merit…

I stood up to refill my coffee before heading upstairs only to encounter Marcus as he sauntered into the kitchen. He looked pointedly at my cell phone, then quirked his eyebrow at me.

"Tank called. We've got problems. I don't suppose you'd like to volunteer to go wake up Ric and give him that bad news, would you?" I asked hopefully. He snickered at me.

"Do I look stupid?" At my expression he cut me off. "No, don't answer that. Sorry, Cous, but you're on your own here. I'll just sit back and watch your sorry ass try to keep from being sent to a third world country." He grinned evilly. "That or enjoy the show when Ric wipes the floor with your face!"

I flipped him the bird and refilled my coffee, taking a large gulp before setting my mug down on the counter. I squared my shoulders and headed for the stairs. "Wish me luck." I murmured. My only response was a snicker.

I made it to the top of the stairs and down the hall to Ric's bedroom door way too soon for my tastes, and was knocking before I realized what I was doing. _Sure Santos,_ _why don't you just go ahead and make reservations on the next plane to the Sudan, or better yet, one of those little Russian villages where communism still has a foothold in the government, _I said to myself.

_Too late_, I thought as the door swung open to reveal Ric in a pair of black silk boxers and an even blacker look on his face.

"Report!" was the succinct and very acrimonious order. Yeah, he was pissed. Guess I caught him at a bad time…

_Shit! _"Uh…not good news, Ric. Tank just called in to say they found Elvis Diana in the 'Barrens. He won't be turning state's evidence." I waited a beat, then winced when he looked like he was about to rearrange my face. He finally brought himself under control and bit out a caustic order.

"Find Karlson and Roberts. I don't care if we have to pull in every single contract worker on the books. And call Boston. I want everyone who isn't on shift called in, including those on leave. Cancel all vacations and personal leave until further notice. We can't lose any more witnesses." The tone of his voice brooked no argument, and I was glad that again I seemed to be one step ahead of him by having Tank bring in Boston and more contract workers. Gee, I may come out of this without getting my ass kicked yet!

"Already on it. I also have men on the bond's office and Mooner's, just as a precaution. I figured it's possible Karlson and Roberts could show up at Mooner's, so maybe we can catch a break and get one or both of them in protective custody before the cop finds them. Unless you can think of anything else?" I tried hard to keep the smugness out of my voice as I updated him on my latest orders, but honestly, it isn't every day I can actually outthink my cousin. He's always been at least two steps ahead of _everyone_.

He shook his head, blank face in place although I could detect a hint of humor in his glance. Fucker was laughing at me.

"Make sure there's plenty of coffee made, and if Marcus hasn't already found the pastelitos, pull them out of the fridge behind my smoothie stuff. I'm gonna wake Steph up; I'd rather have something that she can munch on since the donuts are gone, and there won't be time to cook up a big breakfast. We've got a lot to do this morning." He disappeared inside the bedroom and closed the door, leaving me smirking at the look on his face. I couldn't blame him though; Stephanie Plum was one scary woman in the morning without her coffee and copious amounts of fat and sugar!

I headed downstairs and into the kitchen just in time to catch Marcus pulling the container of Cuban pastries out of the fridge; looked like he even opened a few things ferreting out something to eat. I snatched them out of his hands just as he was about to open the lid, earning me a glare and punch in the arm.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing? I was gonna eat those!" he whined, making me grin at the look of pure longing on his face as he eyed the hand I held behind my back holding the pastries.

"Ric got these for Steph, and trust me; you _don't_ wanna be around her in the morning if she hasn't had her coffee and donuts. Since the donuts are gone, these are gonna have to do. You got a problem with that?" I grinned at him as he growled at me.

"Yeah, I got a problem with that. I'm starving, and those will just about fit the bill. How come you're all afraid of a little girl like that? She ain't _that_ scary!" He grimaced when I shook my head.

"Man, you _really_ don't wanna go there. Besides, this is on Ric's orders, so you can take it up with him when he comes down. Until then…" I shrugged.

"Fucking wimps, the whole lot of you!" he muttered as he shook his head in disgust, turning back to the fridge to find something else to eat. I was tempted to let him find out the hard way, but today wouldn't be a good day to get on Ric's _or_ Bomber's bad side. We had too much shit to do.

tbc


	34. Chapter 34 Steph's POV

Disclaimer: Not a single character or a fucking dime. And I'm expected to return them? *sob* This is soooo not fair! Huge thanks to Kym & Sue for the awesomely supportive previews and suggestions, and Angie for her usual consummate beta skills that catch all those idiotic mistakes I make, as well as those continuity issues I plague myself with. Thanks Babes!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – part 34

Steph's POV

I FELT GENTLE KISSES being placed on my eyelids, forehead and cheeks before settling on my mouth, lips feather-light and teasing until I responded to their probing. I sighed, opening my mouth to Ric's tongue as he caressed my lips with the tip, asking to be let in. Suddenly the kiss turned hot and passionate, waking up my hormones to the point that nothing short of a cataclysmic earthquake was going to quell the need. Maybe not even that.

A knock at the door had me whimpering in disappointment; I couldn't conceive of _anyone_ wanting to interrupt us unless the situation was urgent given the events of the last two days, and I had no doubt that our time together was going to be sparse in the next few hours, if not days. At this point I was so frustrated I'd take the fucking earthquake.

Ric bit out a disgruntled "Fuck" before lifting himself off the bed and moving to answer the door, his face portraying irritation and a whole lot of disgruntlement at the disruption of our 'activities'. He opened the door to reveal Lester standing in the doorway, looking more than just a little apprehensive at disturbing us so early in the morning. Huh.

After a quiet conversation of which I could only catch a word here and there, Ric closed the door and strode back over to the bed, his expression a whole lot darker than when he'd left. Just a few days ago I would've cringed; now his face told me that he was as just as frustrated as I was that reality was butting into our time together, and it could only mean that Joe had upped the stakes on the drama, which didn't bode well for him or any of his accomplices once Ric got his hands on my ex-boyfriend. Of course that would be after I had _my_ shot at the bastard…

"Sorry Babe, I need to get up and get dressed. Things just got more complicated." The apology in his expression couldn't hide the grimness he was feeling, and a knot of foreboding began to form in my chest.

"What happened? Is everything all right? Is anyone hurt?" I watched as his blank face came down, completely wiping out the traces of 'Ric' as his persona of Ranger took over. I shivered as his dark eyes caught and held mine.

His eyes softened for just a moment before becoming hard and flat. "Elvis Diana turned up in the 'Barrens." His lack of detail told me all I needed to know; we wouldn't have his testimony to help us with Joe's conviction if he ever made it to trial. A chill went up my spine as the ramifications of his death hit me. Mooner's friends were the only ones left alive that would be able to state unequivocally that Joe was behind all the attacks the past couple of weeks, lending credence to the mountain of circumstantial evidence Ric and his men had been able to gather for the DA. It also made it painfully clear that efforts to get Joe into custody would have to be redoubled. It was the only way Mooner and his friends would be safe.

I scrambled from the bed and headed into the adjoining bathroom, talking over my shoulder as I turned on the faucet to splash water on my face and brush my teeth. "So what's our next move? Have you found out where Joe's hiding yet?" I almost jumped out of my skin when I turned and Ric was standing in the doorway, leaning against the jamb with his arms crossed over his chest in an imposing stance and a 'what do you think you're doing' look on his face. "How long before we leave?" I tossed back as I pushed past him into the bedroom to root around for some clean clothes. I bent down to my duffel bag and rummaged around inside of it, mentally picking out what clothes would be appropriate for the coming confrontation with Morelli. Maybe my Docs and a pair of low rise jeans paired up with a silk T-shirt - blue, to match my eyes. I wanted to look hot when I sent Joe's balls into the hereafter…

"Stephanie." I stopped what I was doing and looked up at his face, stilling when I recognized his 'this is not up for discussion' expression; not blank, but not as open as it was earlier. Something in his tone warned me that I wasn't going to like what was coming next.

"Babe, I said _I_ had to get up and get dressed. It's early yet, so you can head back to bed for a couple of hours." He reached over to the dresser next to the door and opened a drawer, pulling a black T-shirt out and setting it on top. He delved into another drawer and came out with socks, setting them on top of the T-shirt. He crossed the room to the walk-in closet, disappearing inside for a moment as I knelt there speechless. _No_…

He emerged a few moments later wearing a pair of his signature black cargoes, a pair of boots in one hand as he used the other to pull a belt through the loops of his pants. After grabbing the socks and shirt from the dresser, he sat down on the bed and proceeded to pull on the socks and boots, keeping his gaze averted as I brought myself to stand and walked over to the edge of the bed. I could feel the fury start to build as it finally started to sink in that he expected me to sit here and wait until he deemed it was safe for me to leave; that I wasn't going to be included in the takedown. _He promised…_

"So let's see if I'm understanding you correctly." His head snapped up as I began to speak, the anger I was feeling evident in every fiber of my body. "I'm just supposed to wait around here like an obedient little 'wifey' while you're out there risking your life taking down the son of a bitch who's been making my life hell? Solving _my_ problems?" I could feel my eyes start to smart as the hurt began to war with the anger. I knew my face was becoming red and splotching; not really attractive, I know, but that was the least of my concerns at the moment.

Ranger stood up and stepped towards me to take me in his arms, and I backed away, knowing that one touch from him would make me lose my resolve. I couldn't let him do that; this was too important to me.

"Babe, I'm not trying to cut you out, but we don't know what he's planning, and until I can control the situation, I don't want to risk you being caught by him and hurt. He's not in his right mind anymore, and I don't want him trying to use you to make his escape. He knows you're my weakness…" He was practically pleading with me, and I could see the worry in his face.

"But I'd be with _you_! I'd be safe!" I could hear the hurt invade my voice, and by the softening of his eyes I knew he heard it too, but I couldn't seem stop my mouth from spilling everything out. "You're doing exactly what Joe did all the time! 'Stay at home, _Cupcake_. It's too dangerous for you out there.' 'You need to let me handle this.' Do you have any idea how much it hurts that you don't trust me to be out there with you?" I asked, choking as a lump rose in my throat. As soon as those words flew past my lips I knew they were inexcusable. I clapped my hands over my mouth, my face pale and stricken.

Ranger pulled back as if I had hit him, his blank face slamming down before he turned and grabbed his shirt from the dresser, tension in every line of his body as he pulled it over his head and tucked it into his waistband. He strode over to the closet again, reappearing momentarily with a gun and holster he was in the process of slipping his arms into, having already tucked his backup into the back middle pocket of his cargoes reserved just for that purpose.

He walked up to me and caught my chin with a firm hand, lifting my face to his. "I need you to promise me you won't leave here until I call with the all-clear." His dark eyes held me transfixed, and I felt a sharp pain slice through me as I met his lifeless gaze.

I swallowed, averting my gaze from his face to keep my concentration on the conversation. If I looked into his eyes again I'd be lost. "Why can't I come with you, and I can stay behind in the car with one of the guys?" I asked, my voice hoarse with emotion.

I finally looked up at him again, noticing that he had dropped the blank face again and was able to observe the struggle he was having with his emotions. He blew out a breath, his shoulders uncharacteristically slumping slightly. He scrubbed his face with his hands, sighing heavily before dropping them to his sides as he started to speak.

"I'm not trying to hold you back from dealing with your problems, Babe. I'm just trying to make it safer for you to do so. I promised you I'd give you the opportunity to confront him about everything, and I intend to keep that promise." He sighed again. "Morelli's unpredictable right now, and I need to be able to focus entirely on him. I can't do that if you're there. Not right now."

"Why not? You never seemed to have a problem with my presence before on a job." I asked, still a little raspy, but more confused by his answer than anything.

Another sigh, and this time his answer seemed more reluctant. "Because this time it isn't just a job, Steph. This is personal. I need to make sure I act appropriately, because there's too much at stake for both of us right now. I can't make a mistake that could cost us the indictment, and more importantly, your life. Please understand."

"I can't do that, Ric. I can't let you take all the risk for me while I'm here doing nothing." I felt a tear slip down my face, and he let go of me, allowing me to lower my head and break the hypnotic trance I was in as I gazed at him. A dull pain began in my chest as I felt my heart start to shatter, and I folded my arms around me as a shiver went through me. "I can't just sit by while you save me yet again. I just can't…"

"As you wish, Stephanie." His voice was toneless; none of the earlier feeling was present, and I felt my heart crumble even more as he disappeared through the door. I squeezed my eyes shut to hold back the tears, unaware of anything but the colossal feeling of loss.

tbc

So, whaddaya think?


	35. Chapter 35 Morelli snippet

Disclaimer: See previous chapters. This is my little response to the current challenges on Babe Squad and Perfectly Plum. Hopefully they'll earn us some new chapters of Xy's 'In the Middle of Nowhere' and Sare's new story 'Unapologize'. Huge thanks to Cara for being my partner in crime for this segment. You rock, Babe!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 35

Morelli's POV shortly after Bob's death

MY HAND WAS THROBBING as I woke from a fitful sleep, getting no more than a few minutes of slumber before the nightmares would start. In them I saw my Cupcake being spirited away from me by Manoso's thugs, who had turned into grotesque monsters who laughed as my children cried out for their mommy. Grandma Bella was chanting in the background, and Steph's hamster Rex had grown into an oversized replica of himself, blocking me from rescuing her even as Manoso loomed above me, his appearance much like the masked Batman in the Dark Knight movies, and seeming to encourage the huge animal who bared his fangs and snarled much like Bob had done before my bullet had pierced his heart.

The sweat covering my body reeked of fetid animal smell, along with another scent I couldn't put a name to. I made my way to the bathroom and shucked my boxers, climbing into the shower hastily to rid the offending odors. Standing under the pulsing water of the showerhead, Father Carolli's sermon from the last time my mother had drug me to mass echoed through my mind. _**"We choose those we like; with those we love, we have no say in the matter."***_

He had seemed to be looking right at me as he intoned those words, making me squirm inwardly at his intense gaze. It almost seemed as if he was trying to tell me something, although I couldn't for the life of me understand the message. Grandma Bella's grip on my arm then told me she did, and I wondered if perhaps she was trying to caution me against the Father's singular-like lecture. Her touch calmed me, and I smirked at the priest as he paused his sermon.

He looked taken aback at my visual response, and moving his gaze from my face, he looked out over the congregation, quoting several philosophers as he droned on. Again he pinned me with a stare, stating "**He also says "**_**it's not nice to take things that don't belong to me"**_**, **to which I was tempted to shout out '**but she **_**does**_** belong to me. **_**Everything**_** I touch belongs to me.'** **His face then turned red, and he quickly concluded the services, adroitly avoiding my stare as my family and I filed past him out of the church and into the morning air.

I had stopped at the bottom of the steps leading into the church, turning back to look as I realized that Grandma Bella was no longer following behind me. She had stopped next to Father Carolli and was whispering in his ear; whatever she said had caused the blood to drain from his face, his complexion a sickly yellowish white before two bright spots of red appeared on his cheekbones, a clear indication that he was livid. His face contorted into a mask of righteous fury before he drew back from my Grandmother, hissing something in Latin that I couldn't hear. Bella retorted something back in the ancient language as well, to which the Father crossed himself hurriedly before turning to the following parishioners in relief.

I smiled in remembrance as Grandma turned to catch my gaze, an enigmatic grin touching her lips as she continued down the stairs to join us. She flashed a knowing look at me before taking my arm, urging me and the rest of our family to leave the premises. I knew then that she had cursed the Father, and the thought gave me a much-needed boost of confidence in my plans to procure my Cupcake as the mother of my children. I knew she would join my quest to convince my mother that the plans I'd set in motion to make Stephanie Plum my wife were for the best.

It was only a matter of time now.

tbc

Word count without title and author's note - 637

*BS

**PP


	36. Chapter 36 Ranger's POV

Disclaimer: See the previous chapters. This is a combined response for Xylia's 'April Fools Fall in Love' challenge on Babe Squad, and Sare's 'Tulip Field' challenge on Perfectly Plum. Hope you like! Huge thanks to Angie and Cara for their invaluable contributions – especially kicking me in the ass and telling me 'enough already'!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 36

Ranger's POV

"_I CAN'T DO THAT, Ric. I can't let you take all the risk for me while I'm here doing nothing." _

I kept hearing her last words to me over and over again in my head as I made my way downstairs, trying to figure out a way to make her understand just how dangerous apprehending Morelli was going to be without crushing her independence. I sighed and shook my head. I knew she really wanted to be in on the capture; she hated having to have someone else take care of her problems. Regardless of how much confidence I had in Steph's abilities to come out of some very scary situations without much more than a few bruises and scrapes, this time I needed her to stay back out of harm's way. At least, until I could assure myself of her safety. I wouldn't put it past her to sacrifice herself to assure mine or my men's safety either. She'd done that more than once in the past and amazingly everyone came out of it in one piece. This time though, I wasn't confident that would be the case. This time the stakes were higher than ever. For the both of us.

When I entered the living room, all eyes turned to me even as Marcus and Bobby were preparing themselves for the hunt. Lester would be staying behind with his family to help keep Steph occupied until we had Morelli in custody. Only then would I feel comfortable enough to allow her to confront the bastard without fearing for her safety. A chill ran down my spine as a terrifying scenario crossed my mind. If he managed to slip through our fingers and grab Steph…

I shook off the image, and without a word the three of us proceeded to get ready, Lester and Mari silently watched as we finished strapping on Kevlar before donning vests that held extra ammo loaded in clips for the guns we carried. We were in the process of checking our communication gear when Stephanie made her way down the stairs, dressed in jeans, a long-sleeved flannel shirt over a T-shirt the color of her eyes, and her Doc Martins. I could tell by the slight bulge of her jeans around her ankle that she was wearing a holster on her left leg, and I didn't doubt that the flannel hid a gun tucked into her waistband. She wasn't going to give in no matter what anyone said, and I knew in that instant I was going to cave and allow her to participate in the takedown. What can I say, **I am a hopeless romantic and I love to spoil my girlfriend.* **I made her a promise that she could confront him, and I do keep my promises, especially when I make them to Steph. It wouldn't hurt to try reasoning with her one more time, though.

"Babe, we need to get him into custody before you leave the house. Promise me you'll wait until I call with the 'all clear' before you head out." As much as I wanted to, I couldn't say the word 'please'; it would be too much like taking away another choice, and I wasn't willing to do that again.

She shook her head, her expression decidedly mulish. **"You know what, Ranger? I can't tell you that because I refuse to lie to you."** **You know I can't promise you anything even close to what you're suggesting. This is too important to me to let you handle this without me and you know it." Her expression had only become more determined.

A snicker behind me had us both turning our heads to glare at the offender, but before I could verbally castrate my brother for daring to laugh, Steph turned her gaze on him, giving the idiot a look that would make even _me_ shit my pants if she decided to turn it on me. My Babe can be pretty scary sometimes!

"Was there something you needed to say, Marcus?" She turned to face my brother, her hands planted firmly on her hips and her eyes bore a look that suddenly had him doubting the wisdom of confronting Steph in rhino mode. She slowly began to walk towards him, her steps measured and precise and her body taut with tension as a slow, evil grin began to form on her lips. I glanced at Lester and Bobby; both of them were trying diligently to smother their laughter. They'd been down this road before, and like me, couldn't wait to see how she planned to deal with him. Judging by past situations, it was going to be memorable.

Marcus smiled uncertainly. "Well, let's face it, Stephanie; you're just a mere woman. What could I possibly have to fear from you? I'm a trained FBI agent, and you're…well, let's just say that not only do I have more training, but I'm a lot bigger and stronger than you. Do you honestly think you can scare me?" He smirked at her as he finished, and I had to clench my fists at my side to keep from wringing his neck. His whole attitude suggested he wasn't taking her seriously, and I refused to allow _anyone_ to think of her as entertainment. Not anymore. I'd made that mistake before, and the hurt it caused her was a blow to my heart. She didn't deserve that kind of pain from my family or my men. I was responsible for enough as it was.

"You seem to forget, Marcus, that not only am I an apprehension agent as well as a 'burg girl, but I've also been working with Ranger and the Merry Men for nearly three years now." A salacious grin began to form on her mouth as she moved to stand directly in front of him. She lifted one hand off her hip to smooth the collar of his shirt. "They've taught me a lot, including, but not limited to, _payback_, and I'm given to understand you know a lot more than you'd care to admit about how they like to 'administer' that payback. With that in mind, do you doubt my abilities _now_, Mr. FBI man?" As she finished, she flicked a finger at his chin before turning and sauntering back over to stand closely in front of me, a smile of satisfaction curving her lips. She leaned in and rested her forehead against my chest, a low moan rumbling against me as she inhaled my scent.

My arms automatically came up to encircle her protectively, my eyes involuntarily closing for a moment to savor her nearness. They snapped open at the sound of a muffled laugh and zeroed in on the new offender. It was Lester; his eyes were trained on Marcus, and he was obviously experiencing a moment of humor at my brother's expense. My sibling seemed to be frozen in place, a look of stunned wonder there for all to witness. I smiled inwardly at his discomfort; Steph'd learned a lot since she began working with my men, and judging by the look on his face, she could without a doubt hold her own with my family as well as the myriad of FTA's she brought in on a regular basis. After all, we'd all seen firsthand how she'd handled Celia; a feat never accomplished by anyone else in my family save me. I'd be willing to bet Marcus was no longer as sure of himself when it came to Stephanie Plum, and by Lester and Bobby's gleeful expressions, they agreed with me. Score: Stephanie 1, Marcus 0.

Bobby cleared his throat. "Well, I would say we need to get rolling, wouldn't you agree, Ranger?" He'd donned his blank face, but I could detect a glint of humor in his eye. I guess I'd been a little lax on the intimidation factor where he was concerned. Might have to remedy that real soon here, although I had to smile to myself in agreement…

"And since it looks like Steph here will be joining us," Lester piped up, "should I assume I'm now included in the takedown?" All eyes turned my way, including Steph's.

With a slight nod of my head at Lester, I looked down at the woman who was currently pressed to my side. "If you want to be in on this, you are to do _exactly_ as I say, Stephanie. No questioning my orders, no back talk, and no hesitation. If another member of the core team gives you an order, you are to follow it to the letter, just as you would for me. And you _will_ wear a Kevlar vest. Are we clear?" I knew she'd understand just how serious I was simply by the use of her full name. She always took me at my word when I addressed her as such. Now more than ever, I needed her to heed those instructions without fail.

"Yes Ranger, I understand. Completely." She didn't even flinch as she faced me. "I _will_ follow your orders, but all bets are off if you plan to shove me into a corner where I'll be nice and safe. You know damn well I'll be an asset out there, because no one knows Joe better than I do. I won't take any unnecessary chances, but I refuse to cower behind anyone. Are _we_ clear?"

I studied her expression assessingly. By the set of her face, I knew she was serious, and Serious Steph was not to be trifled with. No more so than me. "Yeah, Babe, we're clear. Now get that vest on, and grab two of the guns there along with extra clips and some cuffs." I pointed towards the open locker in my office. I'd special-ordered a Kevlar vest that would fit Steph much better than the one she normally wore. It would allow her more freedom of movement, yet keep her better protected against stray bullets that could find their way into the gaps that were created by the ill-fitting ones that we had on hand. Of course, none of them were designed for a woman, since I'd never hired a woman before I met my Babe. Ella didn't count. Uncle Luis wasn't one to take chances with her life. He'd had one ordered for her the first day they started working for me.

While Steph was suiting up, Lester was giving his wife and daughter last minute instructions; mainly, keeping themselves inside and out of sight. The stakes would rise on the off chance Morelli or one of his snitches managed to locate the safe house and see them through the windows or wandering outside. Not that I had to worry much about that happening; not only was the house located in a more or less isolated area, but few outside of our family would realize Mari and Mia's connection to Lester and Rangeman, not to mention me. No one in our family ever associated much in the Trenton area, since most of them lived in Newark or Miami. We wouldn't be taking any chances, though.

Finished donning her vest and weapons, Steph joined the rest of us as we filed outside and loaded up into the SUV's; Bobby and Lester taking the Bronco while Marcus joined Steph and I in the Cayenne. We moved out silently, the tension high among us as we each silently contemplated our next move. Talk was non-existent as we drove down out of the trees and entered the highway that led us into the outskirts of Trenton.

The closer we got to Rangeman, the higher the tension mounted in the car; most of it emanating from Stephanie as she worked herself up to the confrontation we would be planning upon our arrival at the office. She was almost vibrating from her anger, although if I allowed my feelings to show, we'd be a matching pair. Marcus wasn't much behind us.

I drove into the underground garage and pulled into my parking space next to the elevators, Lester and Bobby's Bronco sliding in right behind us. We disembarked from the vehicles simultaneously, all of our faces blank and set. Surprisingly, for once Steph's expression matched ours, although her rage and disgust was clearly evident in her eyes. She didn't even fidget as we all piled into the elevator and moved silently to the fifth floor.

Tank was standing at the elevator when the doors silently slid open to spill us out into the control room. His expression was grim, and without so much as a nod of his head, he turned and led the way to the conference room where most of our planning was done when commencing a dangerous operation. We all filed in and sat down, nodding to those already assembled there.

Ram looked like he had finally gotten some rest, which made me sigh inwardly with relief. Now maybe Celia would back down from the constant phone calls berating me for working him so hard, although I'd be willing to bet that she was already feeling chastised after her visit to my house and her confrontation with Steph, as well as learning the reason why we had been working around the clock for the past two weeks.

Hal and Cal set coffees down in front of us as Tank began to brief us on the discovery of Diana in the 'Barrens, starting with Bobby's suggestion of searching the area and ending with his visit to the coroner's office and his report of the autopsy. Although the body had been badly mutilated by the wildlife in the area, he had found evidence of torture inflicted by human hands; solidifying the count of murder. Now we just needed to tie Morelli to the killing.

"Do we have a witness putting Morelli with Diana when he was last seen?" I asked, trying to keep my mind on track. I had been watching Stephanie as Tank described the condition and location of the body, her distaste of the subject matter apparent on her face. She hadn't been able to keep the blank look in place since my right-hand man began speaking, especially after viewing the pictures being passed around the table. As a matter of fact, she was looking a little green when she got a glance at the last picture in the pile.

"**Please, please, please, don't tell me that's what I think that is.****" She slid the picture down the table to Bobby, grimacing when he picked it up and studied it with an impassive look. His medical training was coming in handy as he took in the details of the photo with an objective eye, viewing the eviscerated body parts that were the focus of the print. He tossed it back onto the table with detached interest.

"Sorry Bomber, but I don't think even you can deny what's in that photo." He turned his head catch Marcus' eye before bringing his head around to meet my eyes. "He's gone over, Boss."

Steph looked confused as she tried to decipher his cryptic comment. "What do you mean, 'he's gone over', Bobby?" She steadied her gaze on his face, causing him to shift uncomfortably in his seat as he tried to figure out a way to answer her without breaking protocol.

"What he means, Babe, is that Morelli's no longer acting within reason." I cut in, eliciting an imperceptible sigh of relief from Bobby. "It also means he's going to be even more unpredictable, so we all need to grow eyes in the back of our heads when it comes to taking him down. While your intuition will help out a lot, it's time to get even more creative in our takedown procedures. No more wasting time on this bastard. **One thing you can't recycle is wasted time,***and I'm done pissing around with him. It's time to neutralize his ass and get on with the rest of our lives."

Operation: 'Snakedown' was now commencing.

*(BS)

**(PP)

Word count without title and author's note - 2664


	37. Chapter 37 Helen's POV

Disclaimer: Yeah, you guessed it. See the previous chapters. Heads up! Bitchiness and insults eschew, so don't say I didn't warn you! Okay, ducking and hiding! Huge thanks to Cara for proofing and Gayle for the delicious tidbits she suggested. This one's for Kym and Tara, 'cause they both need some happy, and I can't imagine them NOT laughing their asses off at this one, Gayle because she DID laugh her ass off, and Cara, because men suck!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 37

Helen's POV

WHY ME?

EVEN BEFORE she was even born, I knew my youngest daughter was going to be different. I just didn't realize how much, or how difficult. She was always much closer to her father than me, and even more so with my mother. That woman has been such a horrible influence on Stephanie from the time she was born that I wonder how she could possibly be _my_ mother! It's so frustrating; I just don't understand how she could change so much! Back when my father was alive, my mother was the epitome of the 'burg. It was what I aspired to be, and I was so proud that I was able to become just like her. All that changed when Daddy passed away, and to this day I can't figure out the reason why.

I thought that maybe Stephanie was finally growing up when she married Richard, and that I had at last achieved all that I had strived for. Both of my girls were married to successful men, and soon the grandbabies would begin to arrive. I felt I had done my duty as a proper 'burg woman then. Valerie hadn't disappointed me, but her younger sister? Oh, the embarrassment she caused me when she made that racket after she found her husband with that Joyce woman! I still don't get why she couldn't do like every other 'burg woman does and keep his infidelities quiet. After all, Richard had only done what _all_ men do; you simply looked the other way and worked harder to recapture your husband's attention! That was the 'burg way, but no matter how hard I tried to get that across to her, she refused to behave, and her divorce turned into a circus that still haunts me to this day.

I had great expectations when Joseph Morelli began to pay attention to her. After all, no other man had seemed interested in her, different as she is, and he was obviously more than capable of controlling my reckless daughter in the beginning. Of course, that was before she began to hang around with that bounty hunter that dressed like a thug and his men. I get so angry when I think how much he's encouraged her in that dangerous job of hers, and as for helping him? Good God, he wasn't even from the 'burg, and he was accused of murder! How can she possibly settle down into her proper role as a housewife and give Joseph children like she's supposed to when she insists on associating with 'those types' of people? It's not like any of them are of importance in the 'burg. They don't even behave properly! It's so unladylike of her, and certainly not the 'burg way!

Shortly after the 'kidnapping incident' with that bounty hunter's daughter, that sweet boy Joseph took her away to the Poconos for two whole weeks to spend time with her and to help her deal with all that she had gotten herself into. He'd confided in me after their return that he'd had to be a bit strict with her, but felt he had finally managed to tame her and was very confident that they would be announcing their engagement shortly. I was so relieved! At last she would behave like a proper 'burg woman, and I would be congratulated on raising two dutiful daughters that every woman would be proud of.

But no! Instead of falling in line as expected after her return, my poor excuse for a daughter had rebelled yet again, and loudly denounced the only man brave enough to consider taking her as a wife. She refused to even attend dinners at home if Joseph was invited, which angered me immensely. All of our hard work had been for nothing, as she had immediately thrown herself into her horrible job and began spending more and more time with those criminals. It's a wonder I can still show my face outside of my home! Every time I go grocery shopping for my family, choosing only the best ingredients to make Joseph and my husband the most satisfying meals, I see the pitying looks the other 'burg women wear when they see me, and I hear them whispering behind my back. It's so mortifying! And Stephanie still absolutely refuses to learn how to cook like a proper woman, even when I take time out of my busy life to train her the right way. I _never_ had any trouble with Valerie!

And Frank! Oh, that man just makes me furious! From the very beginning he's made no secret of how much he prefers that bounty hunter over Joseph, and he's encouraged Stephanie to keep doing that job almost as much as _those men_ do! How could he do this to me?

Now, oh good heavens! Another one of those horrible people Stephanie chases after has tried yet again to kill her, and she allows _that man_ to spirit her away! Margery D'Antonio's daughter doesn't have anyone trying to kill her! What will the neighbors say? Poor Joseph has been worried to death about her, and she doesn't even have the decency to call him to apologize! How could I have possibly raised such a disappointing and hateful daughter?

Why me?

tbc


	38. Chapter 38 Lester's POV

Disclaimer: Nope, Nada, Zilch, and when hell freezes over! Sorry it's so short; I wanted this to work for the myriad of challenges on PP & BS the past few months, but my muse went AWOL and refused to return until now. Stupid muse! I should probably say that there are spoilers in this story up to Twelve Sharp (better late than never, right?), since the series ended there for me. Huge thanks to Cara for the brainstorming and the beta work, as well as getting my ass kick-started.

I'd like to dedicate this chapter to Daniel McGuiness, who lost his fight with CF today, June 30, 2010. Rest in peace Danny, and may your parents find comfort in the knowledge that your pain has ended.

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 38

Lester's POV – The Takedown, part 1

'OPERATION: SNAKEDOWN'. HOW APROPOS. That fucker'd been playin' his game on the whole community for way too long, and using Steph in the process. I'd be glad when he was shut down for the last time; we all needed a chance to breathe again without the unwelcome prospect of the cop jumping back into the game again. He'd gotten on _my_ left nerve for the last time, and I know for a fact Ranger wasn't about to put up with any more of his shit again.

I knew I'd always given Bomber static about her being no fun because she didn't like getting shot or arrested, and normally I looked forward to risky takedowns with a certain perverse joy, but I wasn't all that enthused about this one. When it's family being threatened it's hard to keep it impersonal, and since it's Steph, we're into Double Jeopardy here. All of us were on pins and needles, and Ranger? My cousin was just about ready to start shooting if anyone so much as _looked_ at Bomber funny, and at the time I'd hazarded a guess that that would've included anyone we happened to run into. She, on the other hand, was pissed and focused; probably the first time those two emotions surfaced at the same time. I half looked forward to what she had planned to do once she confronted the cop; that is, after Ric had finished with him. I'd say the odds were fifty-fifty on which one of them was going to damage him the worst.

We all headed out in separate cars; Steph, Ranger and Marcus in the Cayenne; Tank, Slick & Erik in Tank's Hummer; Cal, Ram & Manny in an Explorer; Zero, Bobby & Roy in a Bronco; Brett, Caesar & Junior in another Bronco; and Hector, Binkie & I in the remaining Bronco. I wasn't sure who Frank'd show up with, but I was pretty sure he'd have his own backup with him. It was anyone's guess if Gazarra would be bringing anyone else, but odds were he'd be flying solo. We wouldn't be counting on the presence of anyone else at the TPD, since no one else was privy to the investigation. Besides, they'd probably all side with the cop; that is, unless they'd be willing to take the warrant into account until the case was brought out into the open. We'd be better off playing this close to the vest until the bastard was in custody. I wouldn't put it past his buddies to give him the head's up if they got wind of our intentions to take him in.

We'd fanned out in different directions; the plan was to converge on Morelli from all possible angles so he wouldn't have any chance to escape. Our last bit of Intel was that he was holed up at his house, and since we'd had Vince and Woody shadowing him since yesterday, we were confident that the takedown would occur there. Zip and Eddie were combing the cop's usual haunts just in case he managed to slip past them. The cop was a cagey son of a bitch, and regardless of how good as our guys were, he could well outsmart them if given the right opportunity.

Brett pulled his Bronco into the alley behind Morelli's house, coming in from the opposite direction that Cal had gone in. I pulled in and parked a couple of houses down from the cop's house on the other side, and Ranger brought his Cayenne to a stop past me and several houses away. Tank and Zero pulled their SUV's up on opposite ends of Slater Street and parked, blocking all traffic coming and going. As near as we could figure, this would be the best way to corner the guy in without giving him a getaway route. Now we waited.

We weren't in place more than a few minutes before Frank pulled up behind Zero in his taxi, and with him were a couple of guys I vaguely recall seeing around town in the past. Something told me that they were of the same caliber as Mr. Plum, and that we were lucky they were on our side. Hell, I'd take all the help we could get, and I know Ranger felt the same way. We were way past due for something good to finally happen in this whole clusterfuck!

We got out of our vehicles and gathered behind Ranger's Cayenne, where Frank immediately embraced Steph before he quietly introduced his friends 'Sal' and 'Ray'. He didn't elaborate on their 'friendship', and we didn't ask. He proceeded to tell us that, according to his mother-in-law, Morelli had been calling the house and speaking with his wife regularly, hoping to get a line on where her daughter was 'being held'. I had to smirk at that comment; the idiot cop was definitely living in a dream world, and I was looking forward to help making this his worst nightmare. I think we all were, but no more so than Steph. She was impatient to confront the jerk and it showed. She was vibrating with suppressed rage, and it appeared she was trying desperately to hold herself together per Ranger's orders. I wondered how long that was going to last. Bomber had the patience of a gnat, so I wasn't all that confident that she would be able to keep her promise to my cousin. Her struggle to do so was written on her face plain as day; I'd be lying if I said I was the only one who noticed though.

It wasn't long before Eddie Gazarra finally coasted to a stop up the street behind Tank's Hummer, driving an unmarked police car that looked suspiciously like one of Dougie the Dealer's better deals. Apparently he had more Intel to offer than what Frank had given us, and proceeded to clue us in on what we could expect from the rest of the TPD once we'd taken Morelli into custody. The bastard had a lot of loyal friends on the force and we would be, for all intents and purposes, walking into a full scale war with the men in blue. The news wasn't all that encouraging, although he didn't show any signs of unease at the prospect of a confrontation with these men he'd known and worked alongside with for years. I was rather impressed by his determination, as a matter of fact, and it made me wonder if perhaps he wasn't just related to Steph by marriage. The guy had balls.

We all did a last minute check on our equipment, then proceeded to separate into groups of three; Cal and Brett's groups had been briefed on the radio and were waiting for us to start the takedown. We kept the same teams we'd rode in with, saving any confusion as to what our roles were when it came time to move in.

I saw Ranger and Steph move into position on the cop's front porch on either side of the door as Marcus took the lead as door knocker. Binkie and I worked our way towards the side of the house where windows to the kitchen and living room were, Hector backing us, and Tank took his team to the other side of the house, Erik watching his and Slick's backs. I knew Gazarra, along with Frank and his cronies would be covering the back door just in case Morelli tried to rabbit, but I had a sneaking suspicion most of the action would be confined to the living room of the detective's house where Bomber and my cousin would be. It would be his first confrontation with Steph since the car bombing, and he'd been showing signs of tunnel vision the past couple of days in that he was willing to do just about anything to find out where she was hiding, up to and including following her family. Good thing her father was on _our_ side!

At exactly seventeen minutes past the hour, Marcus knocked on the door, looking for all the world like a lost businessman desperate for directions. We all tensed up and held our breath as we waited for Morelli to open the door; our hopes were that he wouldn't see the resemblance in Marcus to Ranger and allow him inside to 'use his phone'.

We heard the sound of the door opening and got ready to move. Showtime!

tbc


	39. Chapter 39 Steph's POV

Disclaimer: Not mine, I'm still broke, and nuh uh. This chapter contains prompts from both Perfectly Plum and Babe Squad. Huge thanks to Cara for her phenomenal beta skills. Thanks Babe!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 39

Steph's POV

THE ADRENALIN WAS COURSING through my veins as the Cayenne made its way to Slater Street and my ex-boyfriend's house. I felt more than saw the periodic glances Ranger threw my way as we wove our way around the neighborhood of the 'burg, allowing Cal and Brett to get into position before we entered the street that Joe's house was located. The anger I was trying so hard to control was humming just under the surface; I could sense Ranger's pride in my efforts to tamp it down and focus. The words he'd spoken to me not so long ago were ringing in my head, helping to rein in my temper. _"You have a goal," he finally said quietly. "The goal is to_ _rescue Julie. You have to focus on the goal. If you give yourself up to unproductive emotion you can't focus on the goal_.* The same purpose applied to this situation as well. _I need to focus on the goal._

When we stopped down the street from Joe's, I wanted to jump out of the car and charge into his house. It took a tremendous amount of self-control to hold back and wait for the rest of the team to show up. Well, that and Ranger's hand on my arm keeping me in place until he finished scanning the area.

"Babe, wait for me to come to your side." He opened his door and stepped out before I could respond, rounding the SUV to open my door. I shot him a Death glare, but it didn't do any good. _Huh, I guess he's still immune…_It irritated me sometimes that he could read me so well, but then gratitude replaced that feeling as I recalled my part of the plan. _Deep breaths, Steph. Deep breaths. _

Marcus joined us as we stood on the passenger side of the Cayenne, watching as the other teams moved their vehicles into position and waited. It wasn't until the familiar sight of my father's taxi came into view and parked behind Zero's Bronco that everyone silently left their transports and joined us behind our SUV. Joining my dad were Sal and Ray, a couple of his cronies from the taxicab company he occasionally worked for and sometimes joined him for cards at the lodge. Their presence was unexplained but quietly accepted; a nod from my father to Ranger being the only 'comment' pertaining to them.

My dad walked straight over to me and I let out a sigh of relief when he pulled me into his arms for a brief yet fierce hug that helped to calm me. "Proud of you, Pumpkin. Love you," he whispered in my ear, so low that only I could hear.

I felt my eyes well up and I blinked back the tears, relief coursing through me at his encouragement. "Thank you, Daddy. Love you too," I whispered, choking back a sob. I pulled out of his embrace reluctantly, trying to wipe at the moisture on my face as inconspicuously as possible. The knowing looks I caught on the other's faces told me I'd been unsuccessful and I grimaced, shooting them a glare that did absolutely nothing to curtail their amusement. _Great, I'm entertainment again._ I squared my shoulders and returned to Ranger's side, keeping my face averted until I got myself back under control.

Ranger laid his hand on the small of my back and quirked an eyebrow, clearly asking me if I was okay. I nodded and he turned to look at the others. "Everyone knows their job. We all know this can go sideways real fast, so keep on your toes. Let's lock 'n load!" he said, the quiet authority in his voice rippling through the group as Lester passed out comm units and ear pieces to everyone before we divided up into our teams and moved to our assigned posts.

I fell in behind Ranger as he moved silently along the neighborhood, keeping close to the front steps of the houses as he led the way to Joe's front porch. I reluctantly followed his lead, imitating his stealthy movements while Marcus brought up the rear until we reached the house next door to Joe.

At a nod from Ranger, Marcus moved out in front and stopped at Joe's front door, waiting until Ranger and I drew our guns and took our positions on either side of him out of Joe's line of sight. I tensed as Marcus raised his hand and knocked loudly on the screen door, holding my breath when we heard the locks being thrown before the sound of the door swinging open. It took everything I had not to jump in front of Ranger's brother and confront my ex, knowing full well we needed to get someone inside to assess Joe's mood before we struck. His brother was chosen, since his years of FBI experience as a profiler could determine Joe's frame of mind in a more detached manner than the rest of us, specifically; me.

Back at Rangeman I'd argued vehemently about this part of the plan; I knew Joe the best, and I thought I should be the one to knock on his door. Ranger had countered that I would be too emotional to act rationally, and we needed to have someone more experienced to handle that part of the plan. He was right, but that didn't make it any easier to accept.

I realized when Joe spoke that all our careful planning on this part was moot; he'd obviously realized that Marcus wasn't what he presented himself to be and pulled his service revolver, aiming it unwaveringly at Marcus's chest as he ordered him to raise his hands and motioned him inside. I looked at Ranger, noticing the blank face drop into place as soon as Joe pulled his gun out. The possibility of this very thing happening had been discussed, and I could see the hard look come into Ranger's eyes as he immediately morphed into badass mode. I could hear him murmur "hold position – bait compromised" into his comm unit, his voice low and menacing, and I shivered at the tone.

The sound of the front door slamming galvanized Ranger into action, and without even breaking stride he wrapped an arm around my waist, lifted me off my feet and practically flew off the side of the porch and into the neighboring yard, giving me barely enough time to respond with nothing more than a muffled yelp. I could feel the tension in his body as he allowed me to slide down his front when we reached the safety of the neighbor's porch; he gave me a reassuring squeeze before releasing me to turn to Lester and my dad's team, who stood waiting tensely for further instructions.

"We need to reassess and come up with another plan. Anyone got any bright ideas?" Ranger bit out, his expression more stone-faced than blank. Even I could see how desperate he was, and everyone knew how clueless I could be when it came to Ranger. I don't remember _ever_ seeing him lose control like this in public; at least, not that I've observed. It unsettled me. That's when Sensible Stephanie took over my mouth. Who knew?

"We can still use me to get him to let Marcus go…" I was cut off before I got any further.

"No!"

I took a deep breath to calm myself before pressing on, knowing he wasn't gonna like what I had to say next. I'd once been told that **courage is grace under pressure**.**I don't know about that; I could only hope that I didn't cave before I got this out. _Boy I could really use some Ben & Jerry's right about now!_

"Ranger, we don't …" I almost wilted at the glare he shot me then. I couldn't back down though. No way did I want to say what I had to, but I couldn't _not_ try. This was his brother! I straightened my shoulders and kicked into 'burg-girl' mode. Ice cream or not, I needed to make him see reason. I know he was only thinking of how much I'd been through the past few weeks, and the change in our relationship only intensified his over-protectiveness. I couldn't think like that now. _**Life is like an ice-cream cone, you have to lick it one day at a time**_.***I just wish I didn't have to keep taking so many licks…

"Ric, can I talk to you…_alone_?" I murmured through clenched teeth low enough that it reached only his ears. His eyes widened almost imperceptibly as he noted the personal way I addressed him. He nodded and took my arm, leading me a few feet away from the others, his face void of all expression. I sighed.

"Look, I know you aren't exactly thrilled at using me as bait, but we've got a goal here." I placed a finger to his lips when he made to interrupt me. "Not all that long ago you told me '_you have to focus on the goal. If you give yourself up to unproductive emotion you can't focus on the goal'. _I love you, Ric, and I know you love me. I'm not saying that I don't appreciate how you're feeling, but you need to let me do this. Marcus is in this position because of me, and if anything should happen to him, I don't think I could live with myself." I laid my forehead against his chest with my hands resting on his fabulous pectorals and felt his arms circle around my body. "Please," I whispered.

He rested his chin on the top of my head and tightened his hold, his body shuddering with repressed emotion. I burrowed my face into his neck and gripped his shirt tightly, inhaling his scent as I basked in the pleasurable sensations of safety and love surrounding me. I shivered as he turned his head and nuzzled the sensitive area behind my ear, his breath dancing across my neck.

"I've only just gotten you into my life, Babe. I can't lose you now, and we know that given the situation, it's a distinct possibility," he choked out, his voice sounding rough with feeling. I felt a thrill shoot straight to my heart; God I love him so much!

"I know – I don't want to lose you either, but you _do_ understand why I have to do this, don't you?" I knew he'd heard me as I tilted my head up and brushed my lips over his ear softly. His body had tensed ever so slightly and I felt him nod in resigned agreement, bringing both of us back to the present. We both sighed in unison as we pulled apart. His hands gripped my shoulders firmly, almost painfully as his dark eyes burned into mine.

"You _will_ wear a tracker, and I'll have Lester outfit you with a smaller wire. You're not to take _any_ unnecessary chances. Am I clear?" His voice had an uncontrolled edge to it.

I gulped and nodded my head mutely, practically peeing my pants at his expression. Good thing he really loved me, or I'd probably be shipped off to a third world country before I could catch my breath!

We turned and walked back over to Lester and my dad; I absently noted the look of approval on all their faces as Ranger moved his hand to rest possessively on the small of my back. I was scared to death at the prospect of screwing this up, but just the thought of Joe using Marcus as a pawn in this whole thing made me more determined than ever to confront him and have it out with him one last time. I'd had it up the here with his manipulative ways, and as the anger surged through my body, I resolved to myself not to let anyone down. Especially Ranger.

Ranger turned to face Lester, his jaw clenched tightly as he barked out a command. "Get the new wire and a tracker. I want her ready and in position ten minutes ago."

Lester didn't so much as blink an eye; he simply turned on his heel and sprinted across the yard towards his SUV, leaving a tense quiet behind as we all waited for him to return.

I chanced a look at my father through my eyelashes, surprised to see unabashed pride on his face. I felt a warm glow wash over my body and I smiled; never had I felt more loved by him than at that moment when I realized he had the confidence in me to do this. His expression was echoed by Sal and Ray, although I detected concern on all their faces as well. I looked up at Ranger, seeing love and acceptance in my decision, along with a hint of fear.

Lester returned momentarily with the wire and tracker, although I'd never seen anything like the tiny odd-shaped objects he held out to me. The tracker looked like a miniature watch battery, only smaller, and the wire was nothing like I'd ever suspect as such. I looked questioningly at him when he handed over a Band-Aid as well.

"Put the Band-Aid over the tracker; Morelli probably won't think anything of it if it's near one of those scrapes you got the other day." He indicated the wire. "Clip that into your hair where you've got it bunched up there in the ponytail. He'll never suspect that." I nodded and did as he suggested.

Once I was finished, I turned and looked up at Ranger, suddenly feeling anxious about coming face to face with my ex. I searched his eyes, looking for some much-needed encouragement. His ESP must've kicked in, because without a word, he lifted his hand to my cheek, caressing it softly as he caught and held my gaze. He said the four words that told me I could do this.

"Go get 'em, Tiger!"

I attempted a wobbly smile before turning around to face Joe's front porch. _You can do this, Steph._ _They're all counting on you, so quit stalling and get a move on!_ said Sensible Stephanie. About that time Stupid Stephanie piped up with her own sage words of advice. _Don't fuck up…Don't fuck up…Don't fuck up… _she was chanting_. _Fat lot of encouragement she was!

I moved up the porch to the front door and took a deep breath. Ranger and my dad were on either side of me out of sight, guns drawn and ready, giving me a slight sense of safety. I opened the screen door and knocked, my mouth went dry and my body tensed as I heard the lock disengage just before the door swung open. I bit my lip as I came face to face with Joseph Anthony Morelli.

"Cupcake! So glad you finally decided to join us." He seemed happy to see me, but then a heartbeat later his expression darkened into a monstrous leer. "Get your ass in here now!" He reached out, grasping my arm painfully before jerking me through the door and slamming it shut.

_Shit!_

Tbc

Word count without title & disclaimer - 2525

*from Twelve Sharp, p253 of the paperback. Thanks ReaderJane!

**Marge and Cara's Ernest-ly Wishing Summer Never Ends Challenge onBabe Squad

***LeeAnne's Ice Cream Challenge on Perfectly Plum


	40. Chapter 40 Morelli's POV

Disclaimer: Same old, same old. Humungous thanks to Cara for her brainstorming assistance, as well as her editing skills, and ditto to Gayle, who suggested I might want to update my life insurance policy as well as advise me to move. Kathy, take your pills, okay? I haven't had much opportunity to personally thank everyone for their awesome reviews, and I feel like a real heel for doing it this way, but please know that every single one of them was truly loved and appreciated. Love to all of you, Babes, and to the Cupcakes who, although I haven't been really nice to Morelli, they still were wonderfully supportive! For Kym & Tara – may the shit finally quit flying, and just let you enjoy RL for a while!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 40

Morelli's POV

I HEARD THE KNOCK on the front door, and as soon as I saw the man standing there in front of me, something told me not to trust him. When he requested to use my phone, something about him had me taking a closer look. He had a look about him that reminded me of Manoso, and anyone associated with that thug was automatically not to be trusted. Realization kicked in and I knew the time to finally have my Cupcake where I wanted her was drawing near. Granted, he was wearing a suit and was acting like a typical misplaced businessman, but I didn't become a detective on my good looks, although I've managed to score much more with them than most would believe. Things that my Cupcake would never understand…

I pulled the gun from behind my back and stepped back to invite him inside. "Come in." With my gun I motioned him inside before closing and relocking the door. I made him lean against the wall in a standard search position so I could put my gun in my holster and frisk him, assuring myself I could handle him if he tried to resist. After I finished checking him for weapons, I pulled my gun back out and herded him into the kitchen where I hit the side of his head with my gun butt, stunning him momentarily until I had his hands tied together behind his back and secured to one of chairs. I contemplated my next move as he slowly shook his head to clear it. It was during my planning session that the thug coughed and spoke.

"Hey mister, I only wanted to use your phone. I didn't mean to bother you, so why don't you just let me go? I was supposed to be at my meeting over half an hour ago," he said, his voice shaking with trepidation.

I looked over at him and snarled. "Cut the shit. You aren't no fucking salesman. I guess Manoso doesn't hire you guys for your brains, huh? Fucking idiot!" _God, was everyone around here so stupid? It's no wonder I've been able to outsmart all his men ever since they hit town! They're almost as dumb as my Cupcake!_

That comment seemed to have pissed him off. He straightened up in his chair and looked right at me, his glance unwavering as he met my eyes. "Man, you know this isn't gonna end well for you. You're a cop for Chrissake. When's the last time you saw someone in your position get out alive?"

"Shut up!" I bellowed as I let my fist fly and land on the side of his mouth. His head reeled back as far as his body would let him, being as he was tied to the chair, and I grinned with malevolent satisfaction as I noticed blood begin to drip from his split lip.

I screamed at him, angry that he'd dare to question my actions. "This is going to end _my_ way! Don't you ever doubt that! Morellis always get what they want!" I could feel the adrenalin surging through me, making me feel almost super-human. _Huh! Bet Cupcake would love to see me now – her 'Batman' wouldn't stand a chance against me!_

I studied the man sitting in my kitchen. I'd suspected he wasn't just a lost businessman, and his comment about me being a cop confirmed that suspicion. I needed to know how many more of Manoso's goons were outside waiting for me. I hadn't figured that they would be on to me so soon.

"How many of your boss's men are out there?" I asked, smiling as a bruise began to form on his face. I was going to enjoy this interrogation, because not only were we alone without someone to interfere, but his connection to that Manoso prick made it all the more sweeter to be able to hit him without reprisal. Besides, he was trespassing in my home; no one would question me defending my own property. _At least, that's the story I plan to tell if I need to._

He shook his head as if trying to clear his thoughts. He took a moment before speaking, eyeing me speculatively. "There isn't anyone else out there. I was just supposed to keep an eye on you in case you left the house." His mouth twitched in an almost-smile reminiscent of Ranger, and it pissed me off. I wanted to wipe that all-knowing look off of his face.

"Liar!" I yelled, letting my fist fly again. This time it connected with his jaw, and his head snapped back again, taking much longer this time to return his gaze to meet mine. "I know you thugs never work without a partner, so you might as well tell me what I want to know. If you do, I promise you'll never have to face Manoso ever again. I'll kill you quickly." Hah! I hoped he'd believe me, although I was lying through my teeth. I wanted all of those thugs to suffer when I killed them, and their boss would suffer the most. I couldn't wait to get my hands on him!

My questioning of the thug was cut short by a knock at my front door. I tensed, before reaching up to drag my gun out of the holster, flicking off the safety as I walked over to the front door. With my free hand, I slid back the deadbolt and opened the door, not really surprised to see my Cupcake standing there in front of me.

"Cupcake! So glad you finally decided to join us." It pleased me no end to see her standing there in front of me until I remembered how she had defied me the last time I'd seen her. She'd told me she never wanted to see me again, then left me.

I reached out and grabbed her forcefully, jerking her arm to let her know I meant business. I snarled at her. "Get your ass in here now!" Practically throwing her across the room, I slammed the door shut and threw the deadbolt, making sure no one could surprise me by getting in the door.

Her yelp of surprise was replaced by a cry of pain as she landed against the dining room table, striking her chin painfully on the corner. It gave me no small amount of satisfaction to see her cowering there on the floor in front of me. I started towards her to pull her up off the floor when I heard the man in my kitchen call out.

"Steph, you need to get out of here. He's not sane," he said to her, an urgency in his tone.

I immediately changed direction and stood over the thug in the chair, backhanding him as soon as I reached him. "Shut up! I didn't give you permission to speak, and _no one_ talks to my Cupcake unless _I_ say so!" His comment about my sanity infuriated me. How dare he butt into my business!

He turned his face back around to me and spoke, an expression of fury on his face. "Don't you touch her, you son of a bitch!" He turned his head to look at my Cupcake, opening his mouth to say something else to her.

"Marcus, don't!" Cupcake yelled, and I turned to see her levering herself off the floor, leaning heavily against one of the dining room chairs. "Anything you say to him is just going to make him angrier." She turned to me, pleading. "Joe please, let him go. He's got nothing to do with us." She smiled apologetically at the thug, making me even madder.

I turned around to her and gave her a look. "Don't you open your mouth, Cupcake! I'll tell you when you're allowed to speak!" I moved back over to the thug and hit him again, this time connecting with his jaw. The chair tipped with the force of my blow, and smashed over to the floor, leaving him dazed. I drew back to kick him when suddenly I felt Cupcake jumping onto my back, screaming in my ear.

"Stop it, Joe! You're going to kill him!" She tried to make me lose my balance before I could kick the man, so I flung her off of me, advancing on her before she even hit the couch.

"I'm going to kill _him_, Cupcake?" I yelled, irritated that she was trying to protect the thug. "I've killed more men than you even know! Who do you think killed that scum that tried to rape you? And the one that tampered with your brake line? You think that the guy who threw that Molotov cocktail into your car is breathing anymore? That's right, Cupcake," I said smugly as her eyes widened in disbelief.

"That inferior piece of shit is lying out there in the 'Barrens, where he's finally becoming a useful member of society. He's feeding the wolves and all the other creepy things that live there. See, Manoso's not the only one who can kill someone, only he's just a murdering thug. I'm an officer of the law, and it's my job to get rid of the bad guys. All that scum that you've brought in over the years? The worst of them aren't out there to drag you through the garbage anymore." I got right in her face, wanting to make sure she understood me fully.

"Although when we get married, you won't be doing that job either. You'll be home having my babies and cooking my meals. Right where you belong." I finished, the satisfaction I felt when she stood there silently looking at me only made me feel more superior than ever. Take _that,_ Manoso!

She sniffled as she righted herself to sit on the couch. I caught the glint of tears on her cheek as she shook her head at me. "Joe, what you've done is wrong. You've become a murderer, and you call Ranger and his men thugs? They've only done what they were ordered to do; they were serving their country, whereas you were just killing men you had no right to kill. They…"

My hand made a loud crack as it connected with her cheek, causing her to fall back onto the couch. I warned her… "Cupcake! Do I have to remind you about talking back to me? What did I teach you when we were in the Poconos? Didn't I tell you _never_ to question me? You're going to pay for your disobedience! But first of all, I'm going to call that bastard inside here so you can tell him you belong to me, and then we'll resume your lessons!" I grabbed her by her hair, dragging her to the door as I pulled out my gun, ignoring her screams until we made it to the narrow window next to the front door. I unlocked the window latch and pushed it open a crack; just enough so that everyone outside could hear me.

"Manoso! I've got your man in here, and now that my Cupcake's back where she belongs, you need to get in here, because Stephanie's got something to tell you!" I shouted, laughing as I heard the thug in the kitchen trying to work himself free. I had to giggle to myself when I thought about what I was going to do when Manoso walked in my front door. I wanted my Cupcake to see Ranger die; I'd pull the trigger on that bastard as soon as she told him she was mine, and then watch him bleed to death in front of her eyes. Then he'd be out of our lives forever, and she'd never again try to disobey me.

Without waiting for a response, I closed the window and relocked it, making sure that even if they managed to remove the security grill from the outside, they'd never be able to get inside until we were gone. I dragged my Cupcake back over to the couch, pushing her down onto it before I absentmindedly started to run the muzzle of the gun down the side of her face where I'd hit her. She gasped in pain, and I grinned at her before stepping back. There'd be time to play with her later; right now the only thing that mattered was getting ready for my big moment. The moment when I'd get to kill the one man I hated most!

It wasn't too much longer when I heard the rapping on my front door. I rubbed my hands together, feeling almost giddy with anticipation. _This is it, Joe! Time to show everyone just who the better man is!_ I released the safety on my gun and moved over to the front door, unlocking the deadbolt before hurrying to the couch where my Cupcake was sitting, staring at me in awe. _See, Cupcake? I knew you'd come around. No one's better than me! _I grabbed her arm and she yelped; as we both moved over to the center of the room, I dragged her when she began to resist. I got behind her and waited, bringing my hand with the gun cocked and ready to point at Ranger's chest, moving my other hand to cover her mouth tightly in case she tried to warn the bastard.

The door opened and bounced against the wall behind it as Manoso walked into the room, his hands hanging loosely by his side. He was looking at me arrogantly, his eyes narrowing as he observed our position. I watched as his face became hard, his eyes black with fury. It made me want to laugh. _Wait for it, Joe. It's going to be beautiful!_

I leaned my face down to my Cupcake's so I could speak in her ear, tightening my hold on her so hard that she gasped. "Now Cupcake, when I take my hand away, you're going to tell him that we're back together again, and this time it's for forever. Then you're going to tell him you never want to see his face again. Do you understand?"

I had to make sure she realized just how serious I was; no doubt she heard the menace in my voice, because she shivered before nodding her head reluctantly. I eased my hand away from her mouth and moved it to grip her arm again, keeping her in place as I sighted the gun on Manoso. When she didn't speak right away, I squeezed her arm painfully, reminding her that I wouldn't wait much longer.

"Ri…Ra…Ranger, I…I…" she stuttered, obviously afraid that he would hurt her if she denied him. She needn't have worried.

I snarled, squeezing even tighter. "Do it, Cupcake, or he dies."

She whimpered, and then jerked away from me, yelling to Manoso, "Get out, Ric! He's going to kill you!"

With a roar, I pulled the trigger, hitting him right in the center of his chest. He took a step forward, before slowly sinking to the floor, his eyes taking on a glazed look.

"Noooooo!" Stephanie screamed, throwing herself across his inert form as the culmination of events brought a smile of satisfaction to my face.

tbc


	41. Chapter 41 Marcus's POV

Disclaimer: Not mine, not making a fucking dime, and JE can have them back when I'm done with them. Ranger however has elected to go AWOL, and will be otherwise occupied for the time being. Hopefully this is the chapter you've all been waiting for, and I hope I've done it justice. My apologies for taking so long to update. I finally cornered that flighty little muse of mine; the little slut's been hanging out with the NASCAR guys; ALL of them! As usual, massive thanks to Cara for the beta job – fabulous job again, Babe, and to Jenny, Kym and Kendra for reading and giving me the thumbs up. One last thing – CHARACTER DEATH!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 41

Marcus's POV

I WASN'T ALL THAT surprised when Detective Morelli opened his door and immediately drew his gun on me. Even bad cops could sense danger when faced with the unknown, and since I was a stranger trying to portray an image of innocence, his natural reaction was to distrust. Much to my chagrin, he was running true to type. This was the primary reason why I'd advised Ric against sending Steph in first; we needed someone inside before she joined the final stage, and Ric wasn't an option. I really hate it when I'm right, because **sometimes real life is just too real,***and this was as real as it got.

He stepped away from the door, murmuring "Come in" as he waved his gun towards the entryway. I heard him close and lock the door before I felt a hand push me against the wall, thoroughly searching me for weapons as expected. When he was finished, he motioned me into the kitchen, surprising me by smacking the gun butt against my head before I could give much more than a cursory glance at the room. Before I could recover, he was tying my hands behind my back with a zip tie binding me to a chair. Shaking my head to clear it, I coughed, then spoke, knowing it was probably going to earn me another blow.

"Hey mister, I only wanted to use your phone. I didn't mean to bother you, so why don't you just let me go? I was supposed to be at my meeting over half an hour ago," I commented roughly, already feeling a bit disoriented. The bastard wasn't in to giving love taps!

"Cut the shit." He snarled. "You aren't no fucking salesman. I guess Manoso doesn't hire you guys for your brains, huh? Fucking idiot!" _Christ! And he calls _us_ idiots! The fool talks like a fucking Neanderthal!_ I decided to bait him a little, but kept my tone as neutral as possible. No sense escalating the violence until I could feel him out some more.

"Man, you know this isn't gonna end well for you. You're a cop for Chrissake. When's the last time you saw someone in your position get out alive?" I waited, steeling myself for another blow.

"Shut up!" He bellowed, letting his fist fly to land on the side of my mouth. My head flew back as far as my body would let me, and I saw him give a malevolent grin as he noticed the blood begin to drip from my lip. _Guess I'll have to reschedule my date for this weekend; I can't very well show up at the Met with my face looking like hamburger meat!_

"This is going to end _my_ way!" he screamed at me. "Don't you ever doubt that! Morellis always get what they want!" He stopped, visibly trying to calm himself even though I could almost feel the adrenalin surging through him. _Fucker's getting worse by the second!_

He stood watching me, a calculating look on his face. "How many of your boss's men are out there?" he asked, a sickening grin on his face that didn't bode well for any of us_._

I shook my head as if I was trying to clear my thoughts, eyeing him speculatively as I weighed my answer. "There isn't anyone else out there. I was just supposed to keep an eye on you in case you left the house." I knew the look on my face was gonna piss him off; a major trait in my family was an almost-smile that gave us the appearance of laughing inside, and with someone as unstable as the cop here, it was like adding fuel to the fire.

"Liar!" he yelled, squeezing his fist for another blow.

This time it connected with my jaw, throwing my head back again. I took much longer this time to return my gaze to meet his. He continued to rant, evidently not experiencing a very high opinion of my intelligence.

"I know you thugs never work without a partner, so you might as well tell me what I want to know. If you do, I promise you'll never have to face Manoso ever again. I'll kill you quickly." _Right, and I've got some prime real estate in the Gobi desert that'll rake in millions. Does this guy really think I'm buying this shit?_

He made as if to speak, but tensed as a knock sounded at the front door. He reached into his holster and pulled his gun, flicking off the safety as he moved to the front door. With his free hand, he slid back the deadbolt and opened the door, not seeming very surprised at his newest guest.

"Cupcake! So glad you finally decided to join us." He sounded pleased, while I really wanted to ralph. _Cupcake? _

I wanted to smack him when he reached out and grabbed Steph forcefully, his demeanor suddenly darkening as he jerked her arm and snarled at her. "Get your ass in here now!" Practically throwing her across the room, he slammed the door shut and threw the deadbolt, tucking his gun back into his holster as he turned back to her.

Steph's yelp of surprise when he grabbed her was replaced by a cry of pain as she landed against the dining room table, striking her chin painfully on the corner. I ground my teeth, itching to beat the prick to a bloody pulp. _Fucker!_ _**If**__**you hurt her again, I can make your death look like an accident**__, you sadistic bastard!_**"****

He started towards her, a menacing look on his face that didn't bode well for Steph. The look jumpstarted my mouth again.

"Steph, you need to get out of here. He's not sane," I called out, injecting a note of urgency in the tone of my voice. His behavior was escalating at an alarming rate, and I suddenly didn't feel all that confident that things were going to end on a positive note anymore.

My warning to Steph drew his attention and he changed direction, striding over to me and backhanding me as soon as he was within range. "Shut up!" he yelled. "I didn't give you permission to speak, and _no one_ talks to my Cupcake unless _I_ say so!" _Fuck me! This guy is supposed to be a cop?_

I brought my head around so I could look right into his eyes, fury rolling through me in waves. "Don't you touch her, you son of a bitch!" I spat. I turned my head to look at Steph, wanting to impress upon her just how critical the situation was. I don't think any of us realized how far he was already gone. Things were beyond dangerous now.

"Marcus, don't!" she yelled when she saw I was about to speak again. I turned to see her levering herself off the floor, leaning heavily against one of the dining room chairs. "Anything you say to him is just going to make him angrier." She turned to the cop, pleading. "Joe please, let him go. He's got nothing to do with us." She smiled apologetically at me, which seemed to piss the guy off even more.

_Don't antagonize him, Steph…_I pleaded with my eyes, trying desperately to ESP her.

He turned, giving her a look of displeasure. "Don't open your mouth, Cupcake! I'll tell you when you're allowed to speak!" He turned back to hit me, again connecting solidly with my already bruised jaw. The chair tipped with the force of the blow and smashed over to the floor, stunning me momentarily. He drew his leg back to kick me when Steph suddenly jumped on his back, screaming loudly.

"Stop it, Joe! You're going to kill him!" She tried to make him lose his balance before he could let the kick fly, so he checked the impulse and instead flung her off of his back, advancing on her before she even hit the couch.

"I'm going to kill _him_, Cupcake?" he yelled, irritated that she had distracted him from assaulting me again. "I've killed more men than you even know! Who do you think killed the scum who tried to rape you?" he raged. "And the one that tampered with your brake line? You think the guy who threw the Molotov cocktail into your car is breathing anymore? That's right, Cupcake," he said smugly as her eyes widened, the disbelief slowly changing to horrified comprehension. _I can't believe this bastard's admitting all this shit!_

"That inferior piece of shit is lying out there in the 'Barrens, where he's finally becoming a useful member of society. He's feeding the wolves and all the other creepy things that live there. See, Manoso's not the only one who can kill someone, only he's just a murdering thug. I'm an officer of the law, and it's my job to get rid of the bad guys. All the scum you've brought in over the years?" he sneered. "The worst of them aren't out there to drag you through the garbage anymore." He got right in her face, obviously trying to drive his point home.

"Although when we get married, you won't be doing that job either. You'll be home having my babies and cooking my meals. Right where you belong," he said derisively, his expression triumphant as he stood looking down at her superiorly. I wanted to puke again. Big time.

I fumed as he glared at her, watching in silence as she sniffled while trying to right herself to sit on the couch. I caught the glint of tears on her cheek as she shook her head at me. "Joe, what you've done is wrong. You've become a murderer, and you call Ranger and his men thugs? They've only done what they were ordered to do; they were serving their country, whereas you were just killing men you had no right to kill. They…"

His hand made a loud crack as it connected with her cheek, causing her to fall back onto the couch. _That's it! One way or another, this fucker's gonna pay for every single bruise he inflicts on her, I guarantee it._ I wondered if there'd be anything left of him for the other guys to 'play' with, after Ric and I finished with him, of course.

His rage ratcheted even higher than I thought possible as he brought his face down to hers, practically spitting venom as he railed at her. "Cupcake! Do I have to remind you about talking back to me? What did I teach you when we were in the Poconos?"

_What the fuck was he saying?_ The level of anger that began to consume me had rocketed past even his insanity. _This motherfucker is going _down!

"Didn't I tell you _never_ to question me? You're going to pay for your disobedience! But first of all, I'm going to call that bastard inside here so you can tell him you belong to me, and then we'll resume your lessons!" He grabbed her by her hair, dragging her to the door as he pulled out his gun, oblivious to her screams until they reached the narrow window next to the front door. He unlocked the latch and pushed the window open, yelling to whoever could hear him outside.

"Manoso! I've got your man in here, and now that my Cupcake's back where she belongs, you need to get in here, because Stephanie's got something to tell you!" he shouted, the touch of amusement in his voice told me he could probably hear my efforts to free myself. The psychosis that had already manifested itself was worrisome for sure, but the rapidity of his escalation flat out scared the shit out of me. He needed to be stopped _now!_

He didn't wait for a response from outside; he hurriedly closed the window and relocked it, making sure that even if anyone managed to remove the security grill from the outside, they'd never be able to get inside until he had escaped with his prize. He dragged Steph back over to the couch, pushing her down onto it before absentmindedly starting to run the muzzle of the gun down the side of her face where he'd previously hit her. I heard her gasp in pain before he stepped back, evidently reconsidering his intent to terrorize her until he finished his other business.

It seemed only a matter of seconds until I heard someone knock at the front door. I turned my head in time to see him rub his hands together, his whole body taut with anticipation. He released the safety on his gun and moved over to the front door, unlocking the deadbolt before hurrying to the couch where Steph was sitting, staring at him with a look of desperation on her face.

_Shit! He's not even gonna wait to kill Ric…I've got to get free!_ Taking advantage of his inattention, I increased my efforts to loosen the restraints, feeling the plastic ties bite into my wrists as blood began to seep from the cuts. _Fuck that hurts!_

He reached down and grabbed her arm, eliciting a yelp of painful surprise as he shoved her ahead of him towards the center of the room. She began to resist when he covered her mouth, and I had to clamp my jaw shut to keep from admonishing her to not resist. I knew Ric would anticipate a trap, but how could tell her that without showing the prick all our cards?

The door opened and crashed against the wall behind it before bouncing back as my brother walked into the room, his hands hanging loosely by his side. I wasn't surprised the cop was using Steph as a shield; apparently he figured Ric would come in shooting and was taking precautions. My brother's eyes narrowed as he observed their position, his face blank as he calculated his chances of freeing his woman even as he took Morelli down. I couldn't see the bastard's face because his back was to me, but Ric's became hard, his eyes black with fury. _Fuck! _I don't remember my brother _ever_ being this pissed!

The cop leaned his face down to Steph's so his lips were brushing her ear, her gasp of pain telling me he'd tightened his hold exponentially. "Now Cupcake," he growled, "when I take my hand away, you're going to tell him that we're back together again, and this time it's for forever. Then you're going to tell him you never want to see his face again. Do you understand?" The menace in his voice was unmistakable. He was readying himself for the pleasure of the kill.

The angle I had on Morelli was just enough that I could see his knuckles whiten as he tensed his hand on the trigger of his gun. _An ounce more of pressure…_

I saw Steph shiver and nod reluctantly before he slowly removed his hand from her mouth, his grip latching onto her arm to keep her from moving while he sighted the gun on Ric. When she didn't speak right away, he squeezed her arm painfully, his impatience evident in every fiber of his body.

"Ri…Ra…Ranger, I…I…" Steph stuttered, fear making her voice shake hoarsely.

He snarled at her reluctance. "Do it, Cupcake, or he dies."

She whimpered, but then with a sudden unexpected burst of defiance, jerked away from him, crying out to my brother. "Get out, Ric! He's going to kill you!"

Morelli roared in rage, pulling the trigger and hitting Ric right in the center of his chest. _Ouch!_ _That was gonna leave a bruise…_Ric took a step forward before slowly sinking to the floor, his eyes taking on a glazed look. _He must be wearing that new and improved Kevlar vest I gave him last month. He didn't even jerk when the bullet hit…_

"Noooooo!" Stephanie screamed, throwing herself across Ric's motionless body as Morelli stood back smiling manically. _Just_ _you wait, fucker. Yours is coming, just about right…_

The kitchen door crashed open as Frank Plum and his friends converged on the room; Steph's father yelling obscenities which startled the cop into turning away from the scene playing out on the living room floor. All eyes, including mine, were on Morelli, and it wasn't until shots rang out and red splotches bloomed on his chest that the front door burst open and a sea of black spilled into the room. Looking around to see who'd fired, I was only mildly surprised when my gaze landed on Steph as she lowered Ric's gun, her tear-stained face twisted with righteous fury and indignation.

"I hope you die slowly and painfully, you sick bastard!" she screamed, the gun dropping unnoticed from her hands to the floor as she scrambled over to the cop and began to attack him furiously. "I want you" _kick to his ribs_ "to feel every single bullet," _his leg_ "knife," _shoulder _"penis up your ass,"_ groin_ "kind of degradation" _another_ _kick to the ribs_ "that your whole rotten," _his head_ "demented,"_ another to the groin_ "psychotic mind can even imagine," _jaw_ "you sorry," _groin_ "twisted" _leg_ "mancunt!" Tears were streaming down her face the whole time she raged, and the stunned looks on everyone's faces as she finished her diatribe was priceless.

A strained "Proud of you, Babe," came from my brother as he winced and sat up unsteadily, Bobby kneeling next to him and giving him an arm for support. _Yeah, he was gonna be sore for a while._

Steph gasped and turned around, blushing profusely as the room erupted in relieved laughter at her choice of invectives. With a shocked cry of surprise she rushed over to Ric and nearly flattened him again as she rained kisses on his face and shoulders; pretty much any part of his body her mouth could reach. I think she was really happy to see he wasn't too badly hurt, much less dead.

"Damn, Bomber! Remind me never to get on your bad side ever again!" Lester piped up, his face looking a whole lot paler than usual. No doubt mine was just as white. _Shit, I hope I never piss her off that bad…I really wanted to have children some day!_

A chuckle brought everyone's attention back to Morelli, although there wasn't much of his face that was recognizable. Frank Plum was leaning over the dead man, poking him in the arm and cheek to reassure himself the maniac wasn't going to move. I wasn't too worried about him popping up again; Steph had worked him over pretty good, and that was _after_ she'd emptied the gun clip into his chest. It sucked that he probably hadn't lived long enough to feel her retribution.

His prone position reminded me I was still tied to the chair, and since no one even seemed to notice me, I cleared my throat noisily and groaned. "Hey guys? A little help here?"

"Oh fuck! Sorry Marcus! Just a sec." exclaimed Lester, pulling a knife out of the scabbard on his hip as he hurried over to me. He sliced through the ties with a minimum of fuss and helped me to stand, grimacing when he noticed the blood on my wrists and hands. "Let's have Bobby check you over before the ambulance gets here. Ranger'll want you to go to the hospital, but at least Bobby can clean up your wrists and face. You hurt anywhere else?" _Huh. That sounded suspiciously like concern in his voice…_

"Nah. He hits pretty hard, but not nearly as powerful as Ric when we're in the ring." I worked my tongue around my mouth to check for damage, cursing when I felt one of my molars give a little. "Fuck. He knocked a tooth loose."

"You're lucky that's all he knocked loose," Lester commented drily. I lifted a brow in question. "We could hear you on the wire. Admit it. Every time Morelli started in on Steph, you kept shooting your mouth off to draw his attention away from her. Not that any of us wouldn't have done the same thing, mind you." He held up his hands in supplication when I frowned. "Pretty fuckin' crazy, if you ask me."

I gave him a self-deprecating half smile. "Maybe, but it worked, didn't it? I was just following the profile." I shrugged. "I can take a hell of a lot more abuse than she can. It was the right call."

My cousin shook his head. "Man, if you knew Bomber like we do, you'd know just how much she actually _can _take. That woman's been kidnapped, beaten, blown up, locked in a cupboard, had a bomb strapped to her chest, shot, had her cars – _plural_, mind you – blown up, stalked, and god knows how much else has happened to her that even _I_ don't know about, and she's still as feisty as ever." I was surprised to hear admiration in his tone, but then, if all that really _had_ happened to her, I would agree. _No wonder Ric's so in love with her. She's perfect for him._

Police units began to arrive and the living room started to resemble a cop shop, only there was a whole lot more black in there than normal. The mood of the arriving officers was ugly when they took in the scene, and only the presence of Eddie Gazarra kept them from immediately slapping us all in cuffs. Everyone was taken aside by a separate officer to give their statements, and the EMT's had arrived to work on Morelli, although there was nothing they could do.

Bobby came over to look at my wrists and head, snapping at the officers when they insisted he give his account of the takedown. "The wounded are my first priority. You'll get your fucking statement when I'm done!" None of them were too pleased at his lack of cooperation, but then Officer Gazarra and Frank Plum stepped in and got them to back off until he could finish treating me before checking on Steph and again on Ric.

When the cops finally finished taking pictures of the scene and gave the okay, the EMT's went to load Morelli's body into their ambulance, where it would be delivered to the coroner's office for autopsy. Tank, not wanting to take any chances even though the cop had been pronounced, stepped in and insisted that he be cuffed to the gurney, and that the body be accompanied to the hospital by our men.

This brought out a whole new slew of protests from the boys in blue, and more chaos ensued. Even the presence of the FBI, meaning me, didn't help to cool them down, nor their brother officer who was trying without success to curb the tension. The arrival though of Brian McAllister, the District Attorney, did. They didn't like it, but eventually complied with Tank's request for the prisoner's body to be secured and escorted. All of us let out a sigh of relief when the cop was loaded up and whisked away, Cal inside the ambulance with him and Manny & Ram following closely behind them.

What finally seemed like hours later it was down to just the Rangemen, Steph, Ranger, her father and I, along with Officer Gazarra and a female officer name Robin Russell left. We were in the process of locking up the house to leave when a middle-aged woman came charging up the walkway, a much older woman and a man about thirty five trailing in her wake. She hadn't yet reached the steps to the front porch before she started yelling and waving her hands.

"Where's my Joey? What have you thugs done with him?" Her face was a mottled red, with white lines of tension around her mouth and fists clenched tight; clear signs of the anger and frustration she was under, but then I caught a glimpse of fear in her eyes. _This has got to be the mother. Did she know her son was insane?_

Frank Plum stepped out to intercept her before she could reach us, Gazarra and Russell right behind him. He began speaking to her in a low soothing voice, but she couldn't, or wouldn't, comprehend his words. She began to wail and scream obscenities, pointing at Steph and Ranger, encompassing all of us in her accusation of "murderers, thugs and whores." The old woman behind her had closed her eyes and began chanting, a string of rosary beads clasped in her hands. The man, who looked enough like the cop to be his brother, started towards Steph and Ranger, who were still on the porch next to me.

"You little slut!" he began ranting, spittle flying from his mouth before he suddenly lunged at Steph. Tank and Lester stepped forward to restrain him before he could reach her, their faces no less furious at the diatribe being directed at Steph as the rest of us. "You'll pay for murdering my brother! If it takes the rest of my life, I'll make sure you live to regret this!"

She stepped forward until she was invading his space, anger and loathing there in her expression for everyone to witness. "I already regret it, Anthony! I regret the day he fingered me in your garage when I was six years old! I regret the day he took my virginity behind the éclair case at the Tasty Pastry and then broadcasted it all over town!" Tears were streaming down her face as she struggled to get it all out. "I regret proving his innocence when he was accused of murder and went FTA! But most of all, I regret ever believing in him when he said he loved me!" She choked up on the last sentence, and had to stop to compose herself before going on. "He was a lying, murdering, cheating whoremongering prick who tried to kill me! You share most of those traits with him, you son of a bitch; I just hope you don't pick up the rest! Now get the fuck away from me!"

She turned and buried her face in Ric's shoulder, still mindful of his bruised chest as she grabbed his shirt and held onto him. _Damn, this girl's got one hell of a vocabulary!_

Tank and Lester finally released Anthony when it became apparent that he wasn't going to continue his attack on Steph, instead he stood there looking shocked and horrified. At a nod from Gazarra, we all began moving to our cars, leaving both officers to stay and deal with Morelli's family. _Thank fuck!_ I desperately needed a long hot soak in a Jacuzzi, and I knew just where to find the closest one.

How awesome is it when your brother has a state of the art gym and a masseuse on staff?

tbc

*Das's Fall Word Count challenge on Babe_Squad. A really, REALLY late entry. Sorry Babe!

**Tricia's Best Friends challenge on Perfectly Plum

Word count without title & disclaimer: 4478


	42. Chapter 42 Ranger's POV

Disclaimer: Criminy! You know the drill. Huge thanks to Cara for the wonderful beta job, and to my daughter Kendra for her enthusiastic support when I can't seem to dredge up the energy to go on.

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – pt 42

Ranger's POV

WALKING INTO MORELLI'S HOUSE expecting him to shoot me was one thing, but actually _feeling_ the bullet as it plowed into the vest protecting my chest was another. You never get over the shock of the pain, even though you've gone through the experience more times than you can count. Surprisingly, it didn't actually hurt as much as I thought it would; I'd have to thank Marcus for having the foresight of providing me with the improved Kevlar the FBI was testing, but it still packed one hell of an impact. As for recommending it for standard protection of law enforcement as well as my men? It had my vote.

The look on Steph's face when the bullet impacted tore me up; I hadn't had time to inform her that the vests we were all wearing for the takedown was actually comprised of components that surpassed regular Kevlar, and that its purpose was to protect against the dreaded 'cop killer' bullets that had become impossible to keep out of the criminal element's hands. Right now all I could feel was gratitude that I was wearing it when I needed it the most.

I was still dazed when I heard her scream, as she threw herself across my body, trying to shield me from another attempt. I couldn't get my body to respond to the demands of my brain to get her away, to keep her out of the line of fire. I was never more grateful at that moment than to hear the sound of the kitchen door crashing open and Frank Plum cursing at Morelli. It bought me enough time to get my muscles to obey.

Unfortunately, it seemed too late, because the next thing I heard was the report of numerous gunshots, and recognizing the sound of the gun's discharge as that of my Glock, I realized that _someone_ had taken my gun and used it. That someone could've only been Steph. That's when all hell broke loose.

The front door gave way as Tank, Lester, Gazarra, and hell, damn near my entire staff of Rangeman spilled into the room. Everyone stood frozen as Steph ranted at Morelli's body, punctuating each and every invective with brutally accurate blows to several parts of his anatomy. It was priceless, and I couldn't have been more proud of her than that moment.

It took every bit of strength I had to raise up to a sitting position, even with Bobby's help, and watch her lay into her ex-lover. She displayed even more fire and righteous indignation than she'd had every time someone kidnapped her or bombed one of her cars. At least _this_ time she got to have her revenge her way.

I knew most of the rage she was feeling while laying into Morelli was because she assumed that the cop had managed to kill me, but the pure joy on her face when she became aware I was still alive did more to take away the pain of the bullet than any painkiller could. Like manna from heaven the kisses she rained down on my face and neck healed all of those little cracks in my heart and head, giving me much more than her love. Steph had given me back my life.

The arrival of the EMT's and the TPD started a mass of confusion and hostility, even though Gazarra was doing his best to calm their tension and anger. Even Frank Plum's presence and the revelation that Marcus was an FBI agent did nothing to quell their animosity. However, when Brian McAllister, the District Attorney for Trenton stepped into the room, his demand for absolute cooperation and trust was instantly obeyed. It didn't stop their distrust of anyone in my employ, but it did ensure we wouldn't be working at cross purposes anymore.

After what seemed like hours later, we were finally allowed to leave; most of the TPD had already left the premises, leaving Gazarra and Robin Russell to close up the scene and finalize the paperwork with us.

Then the other shoe dropped.

We'd barely closed the front door when Angie Morelli came barreling up the short walkway, her crazy mother-in-law Bella and her eldest son Anthony in tow. She didn't react too well to Gazarra's and Frank Plum's efforts to explain the situation and console her on the loss of her son, and her distress served to ignite Anthony Morelli's temper. He came charging up the steps to confront us, and only Tank and Lester's quick reflexes enabled them to restrain him before he could attack Steph or myself. His opening salvo confirmed that their instinct to halt his progress was well warranted.

The first words out of his mouth – calling Steph "You little slut" was enough to guarantee him a prolonged hospital stay if I'd my way, but in no way were any of us prepared for the reaction from Steph. She managed to cut us all off when we would have intervened, instead electing to face yet another distasteful task with incredible insight and courage. She was magnificent!

My heart almost broke at the things she imparted that Morelli had done to hurt her in the past, and it was especially painful to hear her say "But most of all, I regret ever believing in him when he said he loved me!" Her refusal to succumb to the desire to hide from them anymore, instead electing to air all the abuse and disrespect by the man she had once trusted in order to cleanse her heart, was probably the most courageous thing I've ever seen her do. The picture painted by the accusations she hurled had every one of us hurting for and _with_ her.

I'm sure the look I leveled at Morelli's brother when she burst into tears and buried her face in my chest played some part in the stricken look on his face, but when she bit out "You share most of those traits with him, you son of a bitch; I just hope you don't pick up the rest! Now get the fuck away from me!", it was apparent to everyone that as the accusations sank in, the realization that Anthony was displaying the same type of behavior that sealed both his father's fate as well as his brother's was what caused him to cease ranting, leaving him shocked and bewildered.

Without so much as a look back we all climbed into the SUV's to head to the hospital, Tank taking over the job of driving the Cayenne with Marcus in the front passenger seat, which left Steph and I in the back seat to hold each other tightly, both feeling the aches inflicted by Morelli. Bobby, along with Zero and Roy, followed closely behind in their Bronco, making sure we didn't skip the hospital and just go home. That was a real possibility without Tank in the driver's seat.

At the hospital's emergency room we were treated with wary respect; even those who had previously joked and flirted with my men, and Steph in particular, seemed uncharacteristically reticent to imbibe in the usual revelry. It was becoming painfully obvious to me that the recent events regarding Morelli and his rampage would have a much larger impact in Trenton than we had anticipated. **I don't know why. I expect it's a Trenton thing.* **Some things just seem to work out that way in this town.

We had insisted that the Dr. treat us in the same room, neither of us being quite ready to let the other out of our sight. The nurses seemed quite flabbergasted by our demands, but soon realized we weren't going to budge. I think the presence of my brother in the next room might have helped persuade them to give up rather quickly. He was, after all, unattached and available, and according to some very reliable sources, "fucking hot".

Our various cuts and bruises treated, Dr. Stevens, the attending physician, stood in front of us with a look of determination on his face, shaking his head. "No, there is absolutely no way that either of you are leaving this hospital before noon tomorrow."

I leveled a glare at the man that should have sufficiently caused his knees to knock. "Dr. Stevens, as I've explained to you already, we will be closely monitored by my staff medical tech for any side effects. If he gets concerned, he'll call. "

"Mr. Manoso, perhaps I haven't made myself clear. It is in both you and Ms. Plum's best interest to stay here overnight for observation. You both sustained severe injuries today. The probabilities of concussion alone…"

Steph turned to the Dr. and shot him a glare, interrupting his lecture. "Look, we know the risks; we understand that it is against your medical advice. Will you please," Her voice was almost pleading by this time. "Just sign the damn AMA form and let us get the fuck out of here? I want to go to home. I want to sleep in my own bed." She looked up at me, clearly asking for support.

The Dr. sighed in defeat and walked out of the room, mumbling something under his breath that sounded vaguely like, "why bother coming to the ER if you aren't going to listen to a damn thing I say."

We were finally able to leave the hospital in the early hours of the morning, having signed all their paperwork that relieved them of any responsibility should we suddenly develop complications by leaving too soon. They were sticklers for that shit.

Our arrival at Rangeman was greeted with tempered celebration; the whole course of events the past two weeks had left my entire company exhausted and subdued, and the adrenalin high we'd all been running on was finally beginning to recede. Thank fuck for that. I wanted to curl up in bed with Steph and sleep for a week. A month. Hell, forever.

Tank, Marcus, Steph and I climbed on the elevator, sore and weary, and yet at the same time elated that the ordeal was finally over. Steph no longer needed to fear her ex, and the rest of us could breathe easier that we wouldn't have to worry about her safety from that quarter. I didn't even want to _think_ about any future crazies that were sure to cross her path in the course of her job. Tonight I just wanted to hold her close and soothe the heartache she would surely feel at having to take yet another life, even if he did happen to be her worst nightmare.

We stopped on four to let Marcus and Tank off; my brother would be staying in the empty apartment vacated by Brice, one of my men who'd recently bought a house, and Tank would be crashing in his on-site apartment. Steph and I continued on up to seven in silence, both leaning heavily against each other as we completed the journey.

I keyed open the door to my apartment and stood aside to allow Steph to enter ahead of me, appreciating the fact that Ella had been in earlier to ready it for our arrival. The lights in the living room were on but dimmed; the air no longer stale but fresh, as she had obviously opened the windows to let a slight breeze work its magic of chasing away the figurative cobwebs.

Steph dropped down on the sofa with a tired sigh, the stress of the past few weeks showing in every line on her face, every exhausted muscle of her body. For all her tiredness though, there was a tension that wouldn't allow her to relax completely.

For the first time I could actually remember, I was feeling exactly the same way, yet I felt more than just a sliver of relief that the nightmare was finally over. Of all the times I'd returned from being 'in the wind' as Steph termed it, I don't ever remember feeling so completely satisfied with the outcome of a job well done. My heart was telling me it was because Steph was not only safe, but she was mine, and my head was agreeing. _'Bout time you got your head outa your ass, Mañoso! _

I made my way into the kitchen and grabbed two bottles of water out of the refrigerator, knowing from experience we would both need 'debriefing' from the harrowing events of today before any useful sleep could be had by either of us. If even half the shit rolling through my head was doing the same to Steph, then it was going to be an even longer night than we could handle if we didn't get those emotions hashed out and put to rest. The tension I sensed in her agreed.

Walking back into the living room, I twisted the caps off the water before handing one of the bottles to Steph, then sank down on the sofa next to her. "I know it's been a long day, but it would be best for talk before we try to sleep tonight." I began, taking a sip of water before turning to look at her.

She grimaced, stalling a little by picking at the label on the bottle, then taking a sip before raising her eyes to meet mine. "Can't we put this off until tomorrow? I'm so tired I don't think I've got the energy to make it to the bed."

I shook my head. "As good as sleep sounds right now, I don't think either of us will get very much until we've talked this through some. It won't take long, Babe. I promise." I could see the vein in her neck where her pulse beat, the blood pumping fast in her agitation. She needed this.

"But I'm just so tired, and I feel like I've gone ten rounds with Tank and Cal!" she whined, making me smile inside.

I reached over and tipped her chin up with a finger, carefully avoiding the injury from Morelli's table as I locked my gaze with hers. "Even as tired as you are now, you're pulse is still going a mile a minute, which means the adrenalin hasn't subsided yet. I can't imagine your sassy attitude's not ready for one more go-around before you crash."

She snorted. "I wouldn't bet too heavily on that if I were you. **I'm still trying to **_**find**_** my attitude."* **She sat silently for a moment, contemplating her next words. "I think I used the last of it with Anthony."

I nodded. She'd certainly given the slime a lot to think about. I just wished his brother had been able to hear the abuse she'd heaped on him before he died. She deserved that much from the bastard after all he'd put her through.

"I'm sure you did, Babe. Now, how about you lean your head back, close your eyes, and walk through this with me. Then we can sleep. We'll have to go into the PD later on today to sign our statements, but at least by then you'll have a better picture of the events." To be honest, I'd gladly forgo the process tonight since I was just as tired and still smarting from the hits to the vest. Still, I wanted us to be able to sleep without having nightmares about what we could've done differently.

Steph sighed tiredly, allowing herself to sink back into the sofa and relaxing like I'd suggested. She was silent for a while, concentrating on her role in the takedown. Her brow furrowed as she struggled to place the events in the proper prospective, then finally sighed in defeat. "I don't know where to begin, Ranger. It's all jumbled, like a kaleidoscope, ya know?"

Her reluctance to put into words the nightmare she'd just lived only strengthened my resolve to get her to talk it out. I knew her too well to think she could keep it bottled up for too long. She tended to push everything back until she was so jumbled up inside, she couldn't function normally. Her natural resiliency had taken a beating lately, and the thought of her holding it all in until she blew wasn't pleasant. I wanted my Babe back. Just as she was.

"Just try starting from the beginning." At her questioning glance I clarified my meaning. "When we got to Rangeman this morning."

She blew out a breath. "Okay, when we got to Rangeman, we went over the plans for the takedown. We divided into teams, then got into the SUV's and drove to Joe's. We parked, got a few last minute details in, then took our places. Marcus went in, and then I went in. Joe got mad, he called you in and shot you, then I shot him. End of story. Oh, and Angie had a hissy fit and I told Anthony off. That's it." She huffed out a sigh, which caused me to smile. Leave it to Steph to leave out the highlights.

"So are you okay with what happened?" I paused, reluctant to bring up the next issue I was concerned about. "Are you all right that you had to kill Morelli?" This was the critical part of the whole issue; Steph hated having to shoot someone, and the fact that she killed him, and that he was someone whom she'd once loved, would normally weigh heavily on her mind for a very long time. She needed to be able to put it behind her.

She shot me an indecipherable look. "What about you? Are _you_ okay with it?" she asked, neatly avoiding my question. She thought.

I didn't hesitate. "Yeah, Babe, although I'd much rather you hate me than yourself, I'm good with what happened. As much as I know we had him cold on the evidence, Murphy has a bad habit of throwing a monkey wrench into the mix. So," I shrugged. "I can't say I'm sorry he's dead."

She sighed in relief, shaking her head at the same time. "I don't hate myself, and I wouldn't have hated you. He wasn't the man I thought I loved anymore, so I'm okay with what I did. I just hope everyone else feels the same way."

By 'everyone else', I assume she meant her family and the rest of the 'burg, although _I_ really didn't care what anyone else thought. The only people that mattered in my book were the two of us. The rest of the world could kiss my ass. And hers!

"The only one that matters right now is you. The district attorney's office won't press charges," she shot a startled look at me. "Brian was there at the scene. As far as he's concerned, the shooting was justified. Self defense and defense of a third party. It pretty much closes the case, as well as a slew of others, although I have a feeling there's gonna be other repercussions."

"What repercussions?"

My turn to sigh. "The DA will be taking another look at Morelli's cases, especially the more recent ones. Any irregularities will reopen the questionable ones. Fortunately the ones we worked on with him should hold up. Everything we did was by the book, and I'm not worried about anyone getting a new trial and possibly looking for retribution. It's up to Brian and his office on everything else." More than ever I was glad we'd never even considered manufacturing evidence to put anyone away. Pays to follow the rules in this game.

"Okay."

My lips quirked. "Okay? Nothing you want to add?"

"Nope, I'm good. So are we done? Can we go to bed now?" A huge yawn accompanied the last part of that comment. Her eyelids were starting to droop, and I could see that the adrenalin had finally worn off, leaving her limp and exhausted. Yep. Definitely bedtime.

"Yeah, I'd say we're done. You want a shower?" I asked, the aches in my body that had been screaming at me began to quiet as I started to think about heading to bed. With Steph. _Not tonight, buddy. We both need the rest._

"Normally I would," she began, but paused as another yawn hit. Grimacing, she shook her head. "I honestly don't think I could stand up long enough to get through even a short one. I just want to curl up and sleep for a really long time." With a groan she stood up, wobbling a little as she straightened.

I stood up with her, hiding the fact that I was feeling just as shaky, and gently wrapped my arm around her shoulders. Together we shuffled into the bedroom, both dropping onto the bed and slowly started to remove our clothes.

I was finished before she'd even began untying her shoes; she'd sat there just staring at them before finally leaning down to grab the laces.

With a tired chuckle I pushed her hands aside and quickly finished with her shoes, then proceeded to divest her of the rest of her clothing. I helped her to stand, albeit more than just a little tiredly, before pulling the covers on the bed back. Motioning her to climb in, she crawled over to the far side and collapsed onto the pillow, not seeming to mind being stark naked as she snuggled into the covers. I know _I_ didn't.

With a satisfied sigh of relief, I spooned her from behind and allowed myself to drift into oblivion.

Tomorrow was soon enough to deal with the aftermath.

Tbc

*Sally's Sizzling Sixteen January challenge on Babe_Squad


	43. Chapter 43 Steph's POV

Disclaimer: We're almost done here, so how about you just refer to previous chapters? I'm really sick of this shit! A huge thanks to Jenny for the fabulous beta job, and Cara being the voice of reason while I'm spouting off stupid ideas to her. Thanks for hanging in there, Babes! Warning for smut with this one, ladies!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – part 43

Steph's POV

WAKING UP NAKED AND snuggled up next to Ric the morning after hell was heaven. Although I was sore all over from Joe's abuse, I still don't remember ever feeling so good. Maybe it was the knowledge that I wouldn't have to go back to life as 'Morelli's Cupcake', and that as Ric's girlfriend, my mother wouldn't be able to pressure me into a 'Burg marriage anymore, either. Even better, he wouldn't allow her to browbeat me like she's done my entire life; that I was positive of.

I stretched aching muscles and smiled when I felt him pull me tighter into his body; his morning wood was awake and ready for action. Despite the soreness of my muscles, so was I.

"Mmm, Batman. Something on your mind?"

A warm chuckle that tickled the back of my neck was his only response, before he proceeded to blow my mind.

***********rssmut***********

His hand started up my belly and cupped my breast, circling the nipple, while the other one moved purposely over my hips and down to the juncture of my legs, teasing the skin there. His lips ghosted over the back of my neck and nuzzled the sensitive area behind my ear, his teeth scraping the lobe, before he latched onto it, sucking and biting the skin, and then laving it to lessen the sting. Goosebumps popped up all over, as I felt him pluck and roll my nipple between his fingers, his hand massaging the aching globe as the nipple tightened with need.

I groaned as the hand down below continued to tease and torment my lips, the entire area becoming soaked with my juices as they leaked out. My clit was already swollen with arousal, aching and throbbing. He began to rub the sensitive nerves, slowly at first, and then harder and harder as the heat built, creating so much friction I, wanted to explode.

I pushed my ass into his groin, trying to get his cock, which had swollen impossibly larger, to go where I wanted it the most. I whimpered when I felt him move back, but then sighed in bliss as he pushed into me from behind, sinking into me to the hilt and filling me completely.

He began to move leisurely, his thrusts controlled at first, while his mouth worked its way over my neck and shoulder, sucking and nipping the skin. The feeling was incredibly erotic; I couldn't seem to control myself, as I reached my hands back to grasp his taut butt cheek, urging him to move faster. My breathing became more erratic as I gasped for air, his own breath heavy and labored as he continued to thrust his cock languorously inside me.

I heard his breath catch as I released his cheek and moved it around to where we were joined, my finger slithering down to his balls to touch him, frustrated when our position didn't allow more than intermittent caresses.

My actions seemed to spur him on, as he began to move faster and harder, the tip of his cock hitting my G-spot with each thrust inside. My walls began to clench and suck at him, hot blood pulsing through my system as the beginnings of an orgasm started to build inside me.

I cried out as his fingers pinched my clit and my nipple simultaneously; he pistoned in and out even faster, harder, slamming into me with such force I couldn't catch my breath. Suddenly, my body began to convulse, the orgasm crashing over me as I felt his cum shoot inside me, coating my walls and intensifying the rush I felt.

I heard his sensual groan of satisfaction in my ear as wave after wave crashed through me, stars exploding against my eyelids like white hot bursts of light as he continued to work my clit and my breasts, prolonging the orgasm almost painfully.

I eventually floated slowly back down to earth, my muscles becoming lax and leaden when the orgasm finally loosened its grip and allowed me to sink back into him. His arm tightened its hold on me, as if to keep me from moving away. _Right. _I couldn't move right then, even if the building crashed down around us!

********end rssmut********

We laid there, exhausted, our bodies entwined and slick with sweat, the air heavy with our combined scents. It was the most satisfied I'd ever felt, and I felt no compulsion to move away or lighten the mood, as if uncomfortable with the emotions I was experiencing. It was perfect.

After a second languorous session of lovemaking, we both got up and into the shower, where another session of not-so-gentle passion took precedence over getting ourselves ready for the day.

Finally, we managed to drag ourselves out of the shower and into our clothes; Ric turning into Ranger, as he pulled on his standard daily wear of black cargoes and painted-on T-shirt. With a cheeky grin, I pulled on a matching set of Rangeman gear, earning an amused chuckle, before making our way into the kitchen. Ella had already delivered a sumptuous breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes for me, complete with a carafe of maple syrup and four slices of bacon on the side, and an egg-white omelet with unbuttered toast for Ranger. Blech!

He must've been using his ESP to know what I was thinking, although he knew me well enough by now to know how I felt about his choice of breakfasts. His lips tipped up in an almost smile, before he spoke.

"Don't knock it until you've tried it, Babe. It's healthy for you." His voice was tinged with amusement as he indicated for me to sit down.

"No thanks**. Health food makes me sick,"****I shot back, making a face as I moved to sit down.

His only response was another grin before he moved over to his own stool.

We settled onto the stools at the counter and dug into our breakfasts, me humming happily as the fat and sugar worked its way into my system. I looked up at the clock in the kitchen as I was stuffing my face and nearly choked at the time.

"Ten o'clock! Since when do you sleep in so late, and also skip your morning run? What's gonna happen to 'the temple'?"

_I'm soooo going to hell for screwing up his schedule!_

Ranger smiled and took a bite of his omelet. "Relax, Steph. It was late when we finally got to bed, and I don't think skipping a day or two of running is gonna cause an apocalypse. I won't be able to work out for a few days anyway, at least until my ribs heal up a bit. Bobby'll have my hide if I start up before he gives the okay." He didn't seem too concerned about his missing workouts, thank God!

"Oh."

Shit, I'd forgotten about his ribs. Even if the new flak jackets weren't perfect, they'd stopped the bullet; they couldn't completely protect against the bruising that occurred from the hits, though. The thought of the pain he'd endured by those bullets was doing a number on my appetite. I gasped as I remembered our acrobatics in the shower.

I put down my fork and looked over at him, meeting his chocolate brown gaze as he continued to eat his breakfast. He noticed my sudden discomfort and reached over to me, smiling his 'almost smile' as he tucked a loose curl behind my ear.

"Don't worry about it, Babe. It's just a little bruising, and I'll be fine in a few days. No regrets now, okay?" His eyes darkened as he too remembered our shower.

_Well, okay then!_

"Besides, as soon as I'm cleared for regular duties, you'll be joining me in the morning." He smirked, knowing I'd agree to just about anything to make up for him taking those hits yesterday. Well, _almost_ anything!

I grimaced as I picked up my fork, clearing my throat as I tried to focus my mind back on what was coming up today. "So, when do we have to go down to the station and give our statements?" I pushed the food around on my plate, trying to work up my appetite again, even though I wasn't really hungry anymore. I'd hate for Ella to think I hadn't enjoyed her wonderful breakfast!

He looked over at my plate, frowning when he noticed I wasn't really eating. "We'll head down there after Tom Harrison, the attorney for Rangeman, calls. He'll meet us the station. Eat your breakfast."

_Huh? _"Huh? What do we need a lawyer for? _We_ didn't do anything wrong, did we?" Shit! I would never forgive myself if I got Ric and Rangeman in trouble for this!

Ranger's smile increased as he finished up his omelet and pushed his plate back, picking up his coffee to sip before answering me. "No, Babe, we didn't do anything wrong. Tom's just going to help guide us through our statements so nothing comes back to bite us in the ass. Everything will be fine."

I frowned. "But we've never had to have a lawyer there before. Is there something you're not telling me?"

_Oh God, what if my shooting Joe compromised his investigation? What if they arrested me for murder? What if…_

"Stephanie." Ranger cut off my racing thoughts.

_Stupid ESP! He's probably reading my mind again!_

"Sweetheart, he's just meeting us there as a precaution. This investigation was a big deal, and I want to make sure the TPD knows that everything was done was by the book. By _all_ of us. Besides, I want him to meet you." He smiled reassuringly as he finished, sipping his coffee as he watched me digest that little tidbit.

My eyes widened as his last comment sunk in. "You…you want him to meet me? B-but why?"

_He _does_ think I'm gonna be arrested! I can hear my mother now… "Mrs. D'Antonio's daughter doesn't shoot her fiancé and get arrested! Linda Giovichinni doesn't have to make statements to the police station and have to have a lawyer there! Why me?"_

He stood up and pulled me from my stool, wrapping his arms around me in comfort. "Babe, there's nothing to worry about. Tom's been asking to meet you for a long time, and I want everyone there to know that you've done nothing wrong and that I've got your back. The second they see that he's there for _you_, they won't even think about giving you a hard time. That's all."

I leaned my head against his chest, breathing in his unique scent of Bvlgari and Ranger. I slid my arms around his waist and hugged him to me, reveling in the warmth and safety of his big body pressed against mine. I always felt so safe when he held me this way, knowing he would let nothing bad happen to me. I sighed in contentment.

"Okay. If you say everything's gonna be all right, then I'm good. **I hope I'm not going to be disappointed. I **_**hate**_** when that happens."* **

_Boy, this is gonna be a first! A trip to the TPD, and no one harassing me. Better mark this one on the calendar!_

His warm laughter surrounded me as he pressed a kiss to the top of my head and loosened his hold to step back. "Everything will work out fine, and Tom's just going to be there to make sure of that. Trust me, Babe." He picked up his plate and carried it over to the sink to rinse it, cocking an eyebrow at my half-eaten breakfast in question.

I grimaced. I really hated the thought of not finishing Ella's sumptuous breakfast, but any room left in my stomach was taken up by knots of tension. "I don't think I can eat any more right now. I just want to get this over with." Just the thought of what my mother was going to say was creating even more knots.

Ranger smiled. "Babe, with your luck, you'll be coming out of this smelling like a rose, so try not to worry."

"Humph. Better than smelling like garbage, anyway. And I wouldn't count on my luck. _**I think luck is a weird thing. It's hard to tell if you make it or if it just follows you around."***_Luck, the good kind anyway, didn't seem to hanging around me much lately, although if I counted the fact that I was now in a relationship with the man of my dreams, I would definitely call it the best. Yum!

Ranger let out a bark of laughter. "God, you're priceless Steph! You know that?" He caught my arm and pulled me into him again, nuzzling the area behind my ear that always made me melt. "No wonder I'm so in love with you," he murmured, his breath tickling the hairs there.

"Shit," I mumbled against his chest. "I said that out loud, didn't I?"

I didn't really need him to answer that. Unfortunately, my thinking out loud was a common trait on my part – one that seemed to amuse everyone immensely. Everyone that is, except Joe…but then, I didn't need to worry about him anymore, did I? Not only was I no longer involved with him, but he was now dead. Oddly enough, that thought sent a huge wave of relief through me – an unsettling change from how I used to feel when I'd shot any of my previous stalkers, no matter how much I'd suffered at their hands.

My internal musings were cut short by Ranger's phone ringing and his cheerful "Yo!" as he answered the phone.

_Cheerful? Dayam! Batman's certainly in a good mood! Maybe now would be a good time to talk to him about this 'running at the butt-crack of dawn' thing…_

"Okay, see you in about an hour." He snapped his phone shut and clipped it back onto his belt. "That was Tom. Let's head down to five and round up the teams." He smiled and turned to the entryway, grabbing his keys out of the dish; he stood waiting while I picked up my purse and snagged my jacket from the small closet off the entryway.

After locking the apartment, he rested his hand on the small of my back, moving it in soothing circles to calm my nerves, while he called up the elevator. After getting into the elevator, he pulled me to him, wrapping his arms around me as he settled my back against his front.

More than anything, I wanted to just stay where we were; I still did _not_ want to leave the elevator and make the trip to the TPD. No matter how many assurances Ranger gave me, I couldn't seem to get my mind off of the censure I was sure to experience with all of Joe's former co-workers. I could only count on Eddie to be on my side when we entered the midst of them. Well, him and the district attorney, of course. Brian'd seemed like a pretty nice guy at Morelli's – what little I could remember of him anyway. All I really recalled of him was that he managed to calm the chaos when the rest of the TPD arrived, and made it so we were finally able to leave for the hospital without enduring several more hours of police interviews.

The elevator door dinged when we reached the fifth floor, and when they opened, we were surprised by a clapping and cheering wall of black. Shouts of "Way to go, Bomber!" and "Nice going, Bombshell!" and a host of other wisecracks about my shooting skills – affectionately, of course – greeted us as we stepped out onto the floor.

Ranger didn't seem too upset that they had stopped work to gather around us; I think he realized that they just needed to see for themselves that we were both okay and that the drama was pretty much over. Just a few more 'T's' to cross and 'I's' to dot, and we could put the whole ugly mess behind us for good. At least, that's what I was hoping. God forbid any of this came back to haunt us later on down the line.

We made our way down the hall to the larger conference room, several of the guys following us as we entered the room. The group included everyone who had taken part in the final scene at Joe's, along with the guys who'd participated in the actual investigation itself, which meant damn near every single Merry Man employed by Ranger, as well as several men whom I didn't remember ever seeing before. It turned out they were contract workers called in to assist in the investigation. I found out later they had been involved in mostly surveillance activities and information gathering…whatever _that_ meant!

We ended up basically 'debriefing' in that meeting – a fancy way of going over the events in question to make sure everyone understood what had happened, along with the series of events as the investigation unfolded. As boring as it seemed it was going to be, since I'd had my turn last night with Ranger, I ended up learning even more about their efforts to uncover evidence and keeping everyone safe in the meantime. I almost broke down and cried several times as the guys shared their insights of the how's and why's regarding the actions and precautions they'd taken; the performance of their individual parts of the investigation left me speechless.

We ended the meeting with me eying every single man with a whole new level of respect as each man's actions sunk in; I couldn't have asked for a better group of men to have my back, or Ranger's.

Our entire group headed down to the garage, with several of the men taking the stairs, since we couldn't all fit into the elevator at once. Ranger and I climbed into the Cayenne, along with Marcus, and surprisingly, my dad. I hadn't noticed him in the conference room upstairs earlier, but then, there were an awful lot of us crammed in there. _Still…_

Ranger leaned over and spoke softly into my ear when he noticed my confusion. "He was listening in on his way over, Babe."

I glared at his smug grin as he settled back into his seat. _Damn ESP! _I kept silent the whole drive to the TPD.

The caravan of black SUVs that pulled up to the police station looked like an invasion of Merry Men, as we all piled out and walked into the front door, causing more than just a few startled exclamations from those already inside. We were greeted by the D.A. and Eddie, along with a tall, distinguished looking man, who was chatting easily with them. I assumed this to be Rangeman's lawyer, Tom Harrison, which was confirmed when Ranger introduced him to me, before turning to the D.A. and giving him a nod.

"I suppose we should get this over with. It'll be nice to have everyone's life back to normal for a while," the D.A., Brian MacAllister, commented. He turned to look at me. "You ready to explain this mess at Morelli's house yesterday?"

"Hey,** I'm not messy. I'm creative!*****And besides, I didn't start all this. Joe did!" I said indignantly. _Yeesh! You'd think I'd _wanted _all this shit to happen!_

A chuckle sounded behind me, and Lester started in as only he could. "Might be a good idea if you go first, Beautiful. Then we can try to mend whatever holes you manage to rip in our carefully calculated investigation."

I snorted.** "Mend is a four letter word,"*** **I muttered, for once not amused by Lester's bantering. No matter how much Ranger had assured me that I hadn't managed to screw things up, things happened around me. Bad things. Murphy'd had it in for me from the beginning, and I couldn't shake the feeling that he was gonna throw me another curve. It was the story of my life.

"Well, I think we should get started here; time's a wasting, and we've got a celebration to plan, don't you agree, Ranger?" my dad smoothly inserted, noticing that I had started to fidget. He always managed to know when I needed a breather from the scrutiny of those gathered around. Relief flooded through me at the look of understanding he gave me.

Ranger tugged me into his side, his arm wrapped securely around my waist. His gaze bored into mine when I looked up into his face, and he nodded. "That's affirmative. Tom?" He looked over at Rangeman's attorney.

Tom inclined his head and motioned for the D.A. to precede him down the hallway to the interrogation rooms. With a sigh, Brian hefted his briefcase, which he had set down on the floor next to him, and began walking towards the first open doorway.

Anxiety began to build again as I followed the procession into the room. I hated this part, but I was determined to follow through with my role. My future, and the future of the rest of Rangeman, depended on everything that would be said in that room, and I wasn't going to let Ranger or the guys down.

tbc

Word count excluding title & disclaimer - 3532

*A really, _really_ late second response for Sally's 'Sizzling Sixteen' January Challenge on Babe_Squad

** A really late entry into Hannelle & LeeAnne's 'Feb Is A Lot of Things' Challenge on Perfectly Plum

***A hopefully on-time third response to Sally's April Sewing Challenge on Babe_Squad & Perfectly Plum


	44. Chapter 44 Frank's POV

Disclaimer: Refer to previous chapters; you've heard all this shit before! Huge hugs and kudos to Connie & Gayle, not only for their awesome brainstorming, but also the kick in the ass (several times, I might add) to get this chapter written. And extra special 'Atta Babes' go to Connie & Jenny for their incomparable beta skills. Thank you soooo much, ladies!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off ****– **Chapter 44

Frank's POV

WATCHING STEPHANIE DISAPPEAR INTO the interrogation room where State Police investigators awaited her, I felt my stomach clench. Although Brian MacAllister and Ranger's attorney, Tom Harrison, were with her, mainly for support, I still wasn't happy that neither Ranger nor I could be there for her as she gave her statement. I knew my little girl was strong, and although she'd been here many times before in the course of her job, this time, it was different. This time, there was much more at stake. This time, it was personal.

I was taken into another room down the hall and promptly questioned, which was relatively short, since my involvement was minimal, before signing my statement. In no time at all, I was excused and allowed to leave, although I went no farther than just down the hall, where I waited for Stephanie to finish. I anticipated a long wait, since the things my daughter had to share with the investigators far outweighed the majority of everyone involved, except probably Ranger and my nephew.

Apparently, things were going badly with Steph, because I hadn't been waiting more than twenty minutes or so when Robin Russell, a longtime Trenton police officer and friend of my daughter's, suddenly burst from the adjoining room and ran down the hall to where Ranger had been taken.

Before I could follow her, Ranger and Robin appeared in the doorway, hastily ran back down the hall, and burst into Stephanie's room amid, loud protests from the State investigators. I followed them inside and managed to catch a glimpse of my daughter's face before she buried it in the bounty hunter's chest. What I saw had me clenching my fists in rage.

Steph didn't break down very often in public. She smiled and hid her misery behind a façade of meaningless chatter and polite conversation, locking the hurt deep down until she could be alone to vent her pain and disappointment, so as not to appear weak or needy. She's got her pride, and she's terrified of allowing anyone to witness that pain.

She took after me in more ways than I was comfortable with sometimes.

The D.A. and Ranger's attorney hustled the investigators out the door, despite their angry protests, shutting the door behind them and leaving Steph and Ranger alone in the room for privacy.

A heated discussion broke out between the four men, and although I wasn't able to hear what they were arguing about, my senses focused in on another conversation not too far away that caught my attention.

"…_and when she wouldn't agree to quit her job and marry him, Joe beat her senseless, telling her she shouldn't make him keep reminding her over and over again what the consequences were when she disobeyed him. I don't know about you guys, but wouldn't you do the same thing if your wife kept embarrassing you like Stephanie Plum did Morelli? I mean, geez, Big Dog! Look at the way she shows up here after bringing in her skips! Reeking of garbage and wearing everything from pasta and rotting lettuce to dog feces and…"_

Picky's voice cut off when my hand closed around his throat, my fingers tightening exponentially as I struggled for what seemed like hours to control my anger. No way in _hell _could I allow him to continue talking about my baby like she had no worth, that the job she dedicated herself to didn't matter to anyone except herself. This was _my_ daughter the little prick was maligning, and I wasn't going to stand there and let him talk about her that way. Even though she didn't always show a lot of finesse, Steph's work was important, and she was good at it, dammit!

"Officer Gaspick," I growled between teeth clenched in fury, "if you value your life whatsoever, you will swallow whatever you were about to say and forget anything else your tiny little mind was going to tell your mouth to say." I turned and sent a menacing look to Big Dog and Carl Costanza, who had been listening avidly to Picky's rendition of Steph's statement that he'd obviously eavesdropped on. "That goes for the both of you and the rest of your 'brethren'," I said distastefully. "My daughter is _not_ fodder for the gossips, and as of now, the betting on her stops immediately. I believe Governor Juniak would agree. Now, am I clear?" I asked, my jaw grinding formidably.

Their expressions reflected their shock at my demeanor as they nodded their assent. I wasn't satisfied, however; I wanted their unequivocal understanding as to just how seriously I was pissed. With a grunt, I increased the pressure on Picky's windpipe until his eyes bulged and he began to claw at my hands with frantic movements.

"I said, am I clear?" I snarled, my gaze never breaking contact with their frightened faces as Picky continued to squirm.

"Y-Yes sir! Wh-Whatever you s-say, Mr. Plum, sir," Carl stammered, the skin on his face a ghastly white as he trembled next to an equally terrified Big Dog.

_Guess I haven't lost my touch,_ I thought to myself.

I released Picky's throat and turned to the rest of the stunned officers, who seemed to have frozen in place at the change in me. I'd morphed from mild-mannered Mr. Plum, the retired postal worker, into the man I'd been long ago in the Army. Tracker.

"The same goes for the rest of you. You're supposed to be officers of the law, not teenagers with a hormonal overload. Do you have _any_ idea what 'Detective Morelli,'" I spat out his name nastily, unconcerned that the man had once garnered the respect of the 'Burg, "has put Stephanie through for the past few months? How he murdered people just to cover his ass and coerced others to cooperate with his reign of deception and terror on my daughter?" I shook my head disgustedly. "I hope to God your kids never have to face the horror and betrayal Steph's had to endure these past months, nor have their names bandied about by their so-called _friends_," I sneered, "because let me warn you, _officers,_ that it's a thousand times worse than you can imagine!" I finally managed to get a grip on my emotions and turned away, making my way determinedly over to the four men who were waiting impatiently by the interrogation rooms but had stopped to observe the latest Plum debacle.

The lead State investigator, Sergeant Dunleavy, along with his partner, turned and attempted to re-enter the room where Steph and Ranger were, but were forestalled by Ranger's FBI agent brother when he placed himself in the doorway and refused to budge.

His partner began to protest, but before Marcus could respond, I stepped up next to him and cut him off when he started to assert his authority as a federal agent. As much as I appreciated it, I needed to be the one who stopped them from barging in on my daughter while she was distraught.

"Let me handle this, Marcus. I'm her father. This is my responsibility," I murmured for his ears only, hoping he would give in without question.

He did.

"Sergeant, I believe my daughter needs a little more time to pull herself together," I began, catching his eye and holding it as I spoke. "She won't be able to recount the events with much accuracy until she's able to collect her thoughts, and as her father, I'm asking you to do her the courtesy of allowing her to do just that." My gaze didn't falter until he nodded, albeit a little hesitantly, but still agreeable.

A short time later, the door opened and Ranger appeared, his face a blank mask that, to me, still didn't completely manage to hide the fury he was going to tremendous lengths to keep in check. "Steph wants to continue her statement, but I'd appreciate it if you'd refrain from repetitive questioning. She hasn't got much left in her." He nodded at me, and then his brother. "Her father and Special Agent Manoso will be staying with Miss Plum until she's completed her statement, until I've finished mine, as well," he finished stoically.

His glance shifted to the sergeant when he began to sputter in outrage. As Ranger's gaze bored into the sergeant's and his partner's, the man fell silent and reluctantly nodded his assent.

I placed a hand on Ranger's shoulder for a brief moment and lightly squeezed in understanding. Whatever my daughter had told him while we were all occupied with the rest of the station had enraged him to the point that he was actually struggling to maintain his impassive public demeanor. I don't think I'd ever admired the man more.

His brother followed me inside, along with the D.A. and Ranger's attorney, as the sergeant and his partner stalked into the room behind us, clearly miffed at having their authority usurped. I didn't give a flying fuck; Steph needed me, and I was going to be there for her.

Steph raised a pale and tear-stained face to me, before offering me a wobbly smile. I sat down in the chair next to her and put my arm around her shoulders, motioning for Marcus to take the chair behind us so that Tom Harrison could sit next to Steph to counsel her.

She hesitantly continued giving her statement, squeezing my hand in agitation when she told the investigators about Morelli's abuse on their trip to the Poconos, and then hurriedly recounted everything that had happened to her in Trenton since their return. Understanding of Ranger's anger became achingly clear; I wanted to kill that fucking Morelli bastard all over again, but much slower, and with painfully precise measures.

Several hours later, she finished, and without comment, I helped my exhausted daughter to her feet and led her out of the stifling interrogation room where Ranger stood waiting right outside the door.

Without hesitation he picked up her tired body and cradled her protectively in his arms, his focus entirely on my little girl as he made his way silently out the door of the police station and over to the black SUV we had arrived in so long ago. I followed along a little more sedately, wanting to give him time to get them settled into the back of the Porsche.

I watched as his brother, who'd followed us from inside, walked stiffly to the SUV ahead of us, where he thrust open the passenger door before pulling himself into the driver's seat, his body taut with leashed fury. Turning the ignition key, the engine roared to life as he waited impatiently for me to settle into the front next to him.

As soon as my door clicked shut, he stomped on the gas, the vehicle lurching forward momentarily until he calmed enough to turn to me.

"Where am I taking us?" he asked, speaking in clipped words.

I nodded in understanding and softly rattled off my address, indicating which direction to turn when he pulled out of the parking lot.

The drive home was silent with the exception of my soft commands directing him to my home, the silence in the back almost heartbreaking in the sadness emanating from my daughter and the man who held her. It was apparent to all of us that his fury was directed elsewhere, and that he was mourning the events that had led us here. We all were.

Upon pulling up to our house where my mother-in-law stood expectantly on the front porch, I unclipped my seatbelt and murmured a quiet "Thank You" to Marcus before opening my door. I was surprised when I heard the back door open, and Ranger stepped from the back seat, still holding Steph tightly in his arms. At my questioning look, the man who clearly held my daughter's heart glanced at me, before turning his gaze back to Steph.

"She'd like to see her Grandma. It's been a while."

I nodded, realizing that in fact. Edna had been most cooperative in refraining from trying to track down where Stephanie had been staying; instead, she'd kept silent on the subject of my youngest daughter on the off-chance that my wife might happen to overhear something that would give Joe Morelli a clue as to where he could find Steph. The woman never ceased to surprise me. _Much._

Ranger set Steph on her feet once we were inside the house, holding onto her supportively until she smiled at him and stepped tentatively into her grandmother's embrace. A man as jaded of life as I was, I nearly cried at the raw emotion on my mother-in-law's face. Never had I seen her love for my baby so poignant.

The moment was broken abruptly as my wife entered the hallway, her strident voice ringing out as she began to rail at Stephanie.

"Stephanie Michelle Plum, you've got a lot of explaining to do, young lady! What in God's name possessed you to align yourself with those thugs and maliciously attack your own fiancé like this?" she began, her hands waving wildly in the air as she fought to regain some semblance of poise – fought and lost.

One look at my daughter showed her stricken with shock; Ranger, Edna, Marcus and myself all closed ranks around Steph as Helen advanced.

When Ranger looked to respond, I moved in, incensed at my wife's behavior toward our daughter. "Not one more word out of your mouth, woman!" I stepped up to her, halting her progress when she tried to reach Steph, presumably to grab her much like she used to when Steph was a child and had misbehaved.

Helen checked her motion toward Stephanie and rounded on me. "Frank! How can you possibly defend her after everything she's done? Dear God in Heaven, she's killed poor Joseph! What will everyone say about us now? How can I show my face–?"

"I said enough, Helen!" I yelled at my wife; once again, not only was she castigating our daughter for something clearly not her fault, but referring to "poor Joseph" as if he walked on water, angered me no end. "Do you have any idea what 'poor Joseph' has been doing to her these past months? That son of a bitch beat her within an inch of her life and hired others to stalk and rape her! He murdered people, Helen, and he nearly killed her again last night, along with Eddie and a federal agent, as well as Ranger here, who has been trying to protect her all these years!"

For what had to be the first time in over thirty years, I lost my temper; all the rage at Morelli's treatment of my daughter spilling out as I railed at the mother of my children, how blinded she was by the treachery of the man she'd wanted so desperately to marry our little girl.

Helen's jaw dropped when I began shouting out everything that had been uncovered as to Morelli's behavior. Her complexion paled in horror as I recounted the entire story I had learned over the last few days, starting from Steph's horrendous trip to the Poconos, during which the bastard had tried without success to break my daughter's spirit, and continuing on until finally, his death at his home last night.

My rage temporarily spent, I fell silent, scrubbing my face with my hands in abject misery as I glanced at Steph and Ranger. My daughter was silently weeping. What little of her face I could see pale and drawn as she pressed it into Ranger's comforting embrace. The man himself had dropped the blank face, his disgust for my wife evident to even the most casual observer.

Helen swayed dizzily for a moment, catching hold of the small table in the entryway, and finally turning a dazed and beseeching face to me before turning to look at her mother, most likely for confirmation.

Edna's expression was redder than I'd ever seen her, and she spared her daughter no mercy when she nodded her head and gestured angrily. "That piece of garbage you thought so highly of damn near killed your baby, Helen. How I raised such a dolt for a daughter is beyond me!"

Helen's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. "But…but he was a police officer! He wouldn't have lied to us…would he?" she asked, suddenly unsure as she looked from face to face, desperate to see that she hadn't been played for such a fool by the man who'd embodied all her hopes and dreams for Stephanie for all these years.

Ranger's brother cleared his throat and looked at his brother and me before stepping forward and introducing himself to Helen. "Mrs. Plum, my name is Marcus Manoso, and I'm a Special Agent with the FBI. I regret meeting you under these circumstances, but what your husband and mother have told you is true." His expression emanated pity as he continued. "Detective Morelli has been under investigation for several crimes, including murder and kidnapping, for some time now. His death was the result of yet another two murder attempts, one of which was your daughter."

Helen gasped and swayed as his words sank in, nearly collapsing where she stood, before he reached out a steadying hand. Comprehension finally dawned on her face, and then tears began to leak down her cheeks as she choked back a sob. She turned to look at her mother, her eyes pleading as she spoke.

"I've been such a fool, haven't I, Mother?" She didn't wait for an answer; she slumped against the wall and closed her eyes, seeming to age several years in the space of what turned out to be a bare two minutes. It was quiet as we all stood silently, waiting for something, _anything_, to happen. It was several minutes – a lifetime – before Helen moved.

She straightened, and then turned to face our daughter. "I don't know if there's any way you can forgive me, Stephanie. I can't really blame you if you don't want to, but please think about it. I'd like to try to make up for all the hurt I've caused you. It might take a while, since I haven't been a very good mother to you for a long, long time. I'm so sorry." Her apology was whispered, yet it resounded through all of us.

I don't know who was more surprised – Edna or myself. Stephanie was just plain flabbergasted.

With a self-deprecating smile, she met Ranger's gaze timidly, looking for something she was unable to find in his expression. "And you, Ranger. I've badly misjudged you _and_ your men, and for that, I must also apologize profusely. My only explanation is that I'm a fool, but I hope I can rectify that, if you'll let me."

Ranger studied her face intently, seemingly searching inside her to test her veracity. After a few minutes, his expression became wary, as if he wasn't wholly convinced. He tilted his head ever so slightly. "That's entirely up to Stephanie. I won't insult her by giving you a premature answer."

I understood his reluctance to commit himself all too well. He'd witnessed my wife's change of face before when it came to my little girl. _Once bitten, twice shy?_

Helen's hopeful look faded, only to be replaced by a look of resignation. "I guess I deserved that. I appreciate that you've at least considered the possibility. I can't ask for more than that. Thank you." She turned back to Steph and smiled tremulously. "I really am sorry I've been so horrid to you, Stephanie. You didn't deserve it." A tear slid down her cheek. "I really do love you."

A tense silence filled the air for what seemed like a week.

"Well, then!" my mother-in-law piped up when it started to become almost unbearable. "I think Ranger should take Stephanie home and let her get some rest. I doubt she's had much of _that_ since this whole fiasco started!" she retorted tartly, before turning to Steph and hugging her tightly, her eyes suspiciously bright. "You run along, baby granddaughter. I think we've got everything here under control." She winked at me, before nodding to Ranger. "Young man, you take care of my precious girl. We'll expect you for dinner sometime soon, but until then, you two just relax and try to put all this nastiness behind you. Shoo!" She waved her hands at the both of them, and then pinned Ranger's brother with an all too familiar lecherous grin.

_The old bat will never change_, I thought, rolling my eyes.

I turned to see the three of them out before Edna could make good on that look and cop a feel on the young man. I just didn't trust her as far as I could throw her when it came to men – a practice I don't think I'll ever be able to shake. Far too often, she's gotten away with it, but I'll be damned if I'll let her embarrass Ranger or his brother that way today – not to mention Stephanie.

I hugged my youngest child tightly and kissed her forehead. "I'm so very proud of you, Pumpkin. You go on now. Take as much time as you need, and then call when you're up to a visit. Anytime." I gently released her into Ranger's arms.

She looked up at me, tears streaming down her cheeks as she tried gamely to put on a brave face. "Thank you, Daddy. I love you."

With a nod to the three of us, Ranger gently led her out the door and down the porch steps, Marcus heading out ahead of them to get the SUV started. It wasn't until they were all safely inside the big black vehicle that I finally released a breath I wasn't even aware I'd been holding.

Turning around to go back inside the house, I encountered my wife's gaze.

She cleared her throat twice before she could actually make her voice work. "Frank, I'd like very much if you could please tell me everything I've been wrong about for so long. I just don't know what to believe anymore, but I'd like to know what was really going on the past few months, and I know you'll tell me the truth," she finished hoarsely.

At my cautious, look she lowered her eyes in embarrassment, pink suffusing her complexion much like Steph's did when she was uncomfortable. She reminded me of the girl I'd married so long ago…

I fixed her with a stern look, determined to protect my daughter and myself. "Come inside and sit down, Helen. I have a story to tell you."

With that comment, I nudged both women inside, away from the prying eyes of the 'Burg, and closed the door.

tbc


	45. Chapter 45 Steph's POV

Disclaimer: Ditto! Again I've got to give a shout out to Connie & Gayle for getting this chapter blocked in – Connie, you've got the heart of a saint to put up with me all day long and brainstorm with me! And Jenny, you're such a talented beta – Thank you so much!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off **– part 45

Steph's POV

I'D NEVER BEEN MORE thankful to see anyone in my life than when Ranger and Robin burst through the door. I was trying – unsuccessfully, I might add – to keep from losing it as I relived those terrifying two weeks with Joe in the Poconos.

I sank into Ranger as his arms closed around me, his touch both comforting and reassuring. I burrowed into his embrace, his warmth suffusing my body until it almost banished the chill. Almost.

I had never wanted Ranger to know what Joe had done to me during our so-called "pre-honeymoon" that my mother had so excitedly planned for us. With a sinking sense of doom, I realized that I wasn't going to be able to keep it hidden from him any longer. Not if I had any hope whatsoever of building a life with him, and I wanted that more than anything in the world.

Now I had no choice but to tell him. I had no doubt that after I gave my statement, it would be all over the station in minutes. It would either tear us apart now, or the secret would slowly and insidiously erode the most precious relationship I'd ever known into something unclean and unworthy. I owed Ranger and myself more than that. My fear was that he would look at me differently, begin to despise what had been done to me, and decide I wasn't worth it. That I was somehow broken, irrevocably damaged goods. I couldn't bear for him to walk away from me now. This time, I truly wouldn't survive it.

After Ranger's lawyer and the D.A. managed to remove everyone else from the room, I lifted my head to look into Ranger's eyes. They softened noticeably as his gaze searched my face, and then stilled when they passed over the tear tracks that had eroded the makeup I had caked on for courage in preparation of giving my statement. Where did I begin?

I cleared my throat and pushed gently against his chest, my hands reluctant to leave the muscled hardness of his sculpted pecs, yet unable to maintain the contact in light of what I was about to tell him. I couldn't bear to feel his physical withdrawal when he heard what I had to say; the emotional distancing was going to be hard enough.

"Um, I need to tell you something. You're not gonna like it." I slid my gaze away from his face, but not before noticing the sudden stillness of his expression.

Denial clamored for control of my mouth, but I fought it down. _Just spit it out, Steph._ _No more secrets, remember?_

He nodded his head, silently encouraging me to continue.

I straightened my shoulders and plowed in. "Remember a couple of months ago when I went out of town with Joe?"

Ranger tilted his head slightly, his way of telling me to get on with getting on with the story without any more stalling.

"Um, my mom arranged for us to have this cabin in the Poconos – sorta like a pre-honeymoon."

I flinched at the flash of something dark in his eyes, but it was gone almost before I caught it. I felt even more determined to get it over with.

"I thought it was what you wanted me to do – you know, try to make it work with him. You would be happy, my mom would be happy; hell, the whole fucking 'Burg would be happy!" I choked back a sob. _Everybody but me…_

"Babe…"

Ranger reached a hand out as if to soothe me, but I held one of my own up in a "stop" gesture. If he touched me, I wouldn't be able to keep it together.

"No, Ric. I've got to get this out, and if you touch me, I won't be able to finish it. Please!" I almost sobbed, hating that I couldn't allow myself the healing of his touch.

He nodded again, allowing his face to reflect his frustration.

"Joe decided it was time he taught me what being his wife meant."

Ranger's eyes turned cold and black. Evidently, he thought he had a good idea what I was talking about.

_He had _no_ idea!_

I squirmed a little bit. Why did this have to be so hard? I bit down on my lip, wincing at the coppery taste of blood. The mere taste was making me nauseous, as if the conversation itself wasn't enough.

"It started out okay, just talking about our families and such. He told me how happy we were going to be when we finally started our own family. I hadn't really wanted to get into that right away; I still wasn't sold on the idea of having kids. He just laughed and said I'd change my mind once I got pregnant. I remember thinking there was something in his eyes that told me to be wary, so I just let it slide."

Ranger stayed motionless, but I could see that he was fighting his need to touch me. The tension emanating off of him as he fought for control was too strong to ignore.

"After a few days of just hanging out, he said we had to talk. The first thing he told me was that I had to quit my job, and that I wasn't allowed to have any contact with you or anyone else associated with RangeMan."

I blew out a breath, still ticked that he had the nerve to dictate my life like that. This wasn't the middle ages, for Chrissake!

I snorted. "Did he honestly think that telling me to quit my job was going to make a difference then, as opposed to before, when we'd argue and ultimately break up?"

I waved a hand at Ranger before he could respond. I really didn't expect an answer. Besides, I was on a roll. I was getting seriously pissed as I recalled Joe strutting around as he issued his commands like a fucking General. All that was missing was him tucking his hand into his shirt like Napoleon!

"Then he told me that I'd need to cut all ties with Lula and Connie, and since I wouldn't be bounty hunting anymore, that went for Sally too."

The irritation in my voice couldn't have been plainer; at the time, I was so flabbergasted at such a demand that I'd been struck dumb. I'd just stood there in shock, shaking my head back and forth. I couldn't believe he was making me cut off everyone I considered a friend.

Joe had begun to advance on me about that time; my response to that little tidbit hadn't pleased him, obviously. He'd glared at me when he'd realized I wasn't gonna budge on my stance about my friends.

"When I told him that giving up my friends wasn't gonna happen, he slapped me and told me it wasn't a suggestion."

I almost cringed when Ranger's face darkened with barely suppressed rage. I averted my gaze and stared at the floor, unable to watch his expression when I told him the next part.

"I was pissed, and my mouth ran away with me. I asked him why in the hell he was so dead set on marrying me, when I wasn't planning on obeying his 'orders,' and he blew up. He hit me with his fist." I paused for a moment, trying to gather my composure. "I was dizzy from the blow, and I didn't see him move. He grabbed me and threw me down on the bed, and… and then he raped me." I choked the last part out, reliving that awful night in my mind.

At Ranger's growl of rage, I stepped back, cringing. I knew he'd never hurt me, but my head was still focused on that night. I could only see Joe's fist as it flew towards my face. I saw a look of hurt cross Ranger's face, before he shuttered his expression. His reaction chilled me. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and forged on.

"When I woke up the next morning, I realized he'd been up all night, drinking in the other room. He was muttering to himself, but I couldn't hear what he was saying."

I remembered how scared I'd been of Joe; never before had he resorted to hitting me, much less raping me to mete out punishment. He'd always yelled and ranted at me, flapped his arms, but never, _ever,_ had he hit me. He had become his father's son after all.

"When he came into the room, I tried to pretend I was still sleeping, but he started shaking me and demanded that I get up and get him some breakfast, that I'd better start learning to be a good 'Burg wife sooner, rather than later. I got up and told him to get his own damn breakfast, that I wasn't his maid. He snarled, and then back-handed me on the cheek while he screamed at me that I hadn't been listening." I closed my eyes, hating to have to recount what happened next. "He backed me up against the wall, grabbed me by the arm, and then held me while he punched me in my face, my stomach – everywhere. I tried to fight back, but he had me trapped; he just kept it up until I couldn't stand up anymore."

I let out a weary sigh.

"I don't remember what happened next, because I blacked out. When I came to, I hurt so bad, I couldn't move. He must've kicked me in the ribs a few times, because just breathing felt like I was being stabbed with a hot poker." A sob escaped my mouth before I could muffle it. "Then he raped me again, repeating over and over again while he violated me that I had better get used to obeying him, because he was never going to let me go, that no other man would ever want me after he was done with me."

The air in the room was thick and heavy – I couldn't open my eyes and look at Ranger, for fear of the disgust I knew I'd see in his eyes. It seemed like hours before a muffled curse broke the oppressive silence.

"If he wasn't already dead, I'd tear him apart while he was still breathing." Ranger's voice was tight with fury.

I opened my eyes and looked up at him, amazed that I could actually see his struggle to contain himself. Not all that long ago, he would have hidden those emotions behind a blank face, keeping his feelings locked away from everyone.

I struggled to get the rest of the story out before I caved and just denied the rest of it. I knew it would make Ranger angry, but I also knew he needed to hear the entire story. I owed him that.

"He said I was going to be known as Morelli's woman from now on, and that if you or your men so much as showed your faces anywhere around me, he was going to shoot you first, and then them." I shuddered as I remembered the terror I'd felt then.

I cringed inside as the memory of goading him suddenly resurfaced.

"I was mad, so I got snarky and told him that I was 'Manoso's woman' and that I'd always be known as yours. Just before his fist connected with my jaw, I heard him tell me that he'd see me dead first."

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the murderous look on Joe's face before everything went black again.

"I kept my mouth shut after that, and he pretty much kept his hands off of me the rest of the time we were there. I guess he realized that I couldn't go back to Trenton looking like I'd been used as a punching bag. My mother would've had a heart attack."

I grimaced, picturing the look on my mom's face when she actually did see me. The bruises had faded for the most part, but I could tell she knew something was different. I'd never been able to understand why she'd never asked what had happened. Ignorance is bliss, I suppose.

A shaky breath later, I looked up at Ranger as tears ran down my face unchecked. What I saw in his face, the sadness he was feeling on my behalf, was almost unbearable. The tears I saw shining in his eyes, though…they nearly broke me.

I watched as his expression eventually relaxed and his eyes softened – a look of, I don't know, admiration, wonder? – crossed his face. My eyes started to tear up again as I realized that he wasn't disgusted at all, that his feelings for me hadn't changed. I knew, in that moment, that they never would.

I closed my eyes again, more to contain the tears than to hide my feelings. I felt his fingers skim across my cheek, before he ever so gently lifted my chin to look at me.

"Babe." His voice was so soft, so unbelievably compassionate. I watched, mesmerized, as his head lowered and his lips grazed my forehead. "I am so proud of you, Stephanie."

My eyes shot to his in confusion. "For what? For being raped? For letting him beat me? I…"

Ranger laid a silencing finger on my lips and shook his head. "No sweetheart. For fighting for yourself – for not giving in to what you knew wasn't what you wanted. You stayed true to yourself and didn't allow him to break you." He leaned his forehead against mine and sighed. Yeah, Ranger sighed.

"But I couldn't get away from him! I was weak – and…and he _beat_ me!" I cried, trying desperately to wrap my mind around the fact that he was actually _proud_ of me.

"Stephanie." He shook his head and buried a hand in my hair, angling my face up to his. "You are the strongest woman I've ever met; no matter what he tried to do to you, it still didn't stop you from fighting for yourself. You refused to give in, even though he subjected you to the most horrendous thing a man can do to a woman." His eyes stared steadily into mine, entreating me to believe him.

I sagged against him as I let out a sob. Wrapping my arms around his waist, I clung tightly to him as I bawled, wanting so much to believe that he really saw me as Wonder Woman, my idol, instead of the cringing, whining, blubbering mess that I was at the moment. He still loved me! My God, love really _is_ blind!

tbc


	46. Chapter 46 Ranger's POV

Disclaimer: Again, ditto!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off **– part 46

Ranger's POV

I WANTED A DO-OVER. I wanted to kill that lying, malicious, murdering prick myself. Dig up his body, shock him back to life, and then take my time tearing him apart piece by piece until there was nothing left of him. While he still breathed. And felt pain.

I just couldn't wrap my head around how he could be so cruel, so unbelievably sadistic, as to rape and beat a woman, not to mention that the woman in question was Stephanie Plum. My Babe. A woman so open to whatever the next day would bring, so full of life and love that you couldn't help but be swept up in her enthusiasm for living in the moment, and he literally tries to beat it out of her?

Fucking prick!

I'd been apprised of Frank Plum's confrontation with several of the officers present by Robin Russell, although it seemed she'd left out a few details at the time. That aspect didn't matter all that much at the time, though. Just to know that he'd been there to have her back when I wasn't able to was a great comfort. It told me he wouldn't be keeping his customary silence any longer when it came to those who were foolish enough to denigrate his daughter.

The pain and self-loathing on Steph's face when she told me what he had done to her – his supposed "future wife" – tore me to pieces. It was all I could do to stand there and listen, try to be of some comfort to her, when the thing I wanted to do most was rip the bastard apart with my bare hands. I couldn't _not_ think about the terror he'd inflicted on her not only those two weeks, but for the past few years. It was too much to keep inside. I knew I'd let my guard down for a bit there – had allowed her to see how vulnerable I was to her pain. Only for her would I open up myself like that.

When she eventually finished her telling of that god-awful nightmare she'd endured, she clung tightly to me, seeking reassurance that what we'd shared, all the feelings I'd admitted to in the past few days, hadn't changed. I knew that we were somehow stronger because of this and we could take anything the 'Burg, and anyone else, decided to throw at us.

Finally, when her tears abated and her breathing evened out, I reluctantly left and let the detectives finish their interrogation, although I would much rather have stayed there for her. If not for the presence of Marcus and her father, standing there at her side in a silent show of support, I wouldn't have been able to tear myself away from her and out of that interrogation room. I needed to leave, to take the time to process all that she had endured at the cruel hands of the man who supposedly loved her and wanted to marry her.

I had to get the beast raging inside of me under control. I knew it wasn't my fault, but I couldn't help feeling that if I had just manned up and opened up to her sooner, told her that I loved her instead of feeding her line after line of bullshit, none of this would have happened. She would have been safe and never had to suffer at the hands of that madman.

What seemed like a lifetime later, when she had finished her statement and Frank opened the door to the interrogation room they'd been sequestered inside, I could see how exhausted Steph was. The beast wanted out again – I was _this _close to pounding the two state investigators into the ground. I'd specifically told them to keep it short, that she'd had enough. Looks like I'd need to put a call into the State Department regarding their police procedures when taking statements from victims. This shit will _not_ happen again – not on my watch, and _not_ with Steph!

The shadows underneath her eyes were so dark, it was difficult for a less discerning person to pinpoint where her eyes ended and began. Her face was drawn, and her normally milky complexion had more of a gray cast to it. She needed some uninterrupted, stress-free quality rest badly, and I meant to see that she got it.

My first inclination when we left the TPD was to spirit her away from the entire state – take her somewhere that would have no busy body 'Burg residents gossiping about her, no bets about when, not if, her next car was going to blow up, and no reminders of the abuse her so-called "boyfriend" had heaped on her the past few months. A phone call would've had the Carrera there in a heartbeat, and we would've been history.

We loaded up in the Cayenne – Marcus driving, with Frank riding shotgun and Steph sitting next to me in the back seat. As we drove to her parents' house to drop Frank off, she burrowed into my arms and held onto me with a death grip, as if she was afraid I was going to leave her. No amount of reassurance had gotten her to ease up the hold she had on me until we stopped in front of the Plum home and Frank opened his door.

At any other time, I'd have barely been able to hear her urgent plea to see her grandmother, her voice was so quiet, except, I was so singularly focused on her and what she needed that I knew what she wanted even before the words left her lips.

For the first time since I'd met Steph's grandmother, I wasn't overly concerned about her trying to cop a feel as we walked up to the Plum's house. Her expression when we neared the porch where she had stationed herself was clearly focused on her granddaughter, and her single-minded determination to see for herself that Steph was okay, for the most part, reassured me that I wouldn't have anything to fear from her – tonight, at any rate.

Before the front door had even closed, her mother was on her – nastier and more vocal than I'd ever witnessed – and the fact that I'd never been privy to this side of Helen Plum before tonight was the only reason the woman was still breathing. I wanted to rectify that oversight immediately, but suddenly, the situation was out of my hands. Frank Plum stepped up – again.

"Enough, Helen!" he yelled, his face nearly purple with anger. He didn't seem to feel it necessary to keep his anger in check any longer, but then again, I don't doubt it would have done any good if he had. Clearly, his wife didn't consider what he was saying as anything but the truth unless he raised the volume of his voice.

"Do you have any idea what 'poor Joseph' has been doing to her these past months? That son of a bitch beat her within an inch of her life and hired others to stalk and rape her! He murdered people, Helen, and he nearly killed her again last night, along with Eddie and a federal agent, as well as Ranger here, who has been trying to protect her all these years!"

Anger resurfaced in me as he reiterated the abuse Steph had been subjected to, but then another emotion managed to creep its way into my thoughts. To say I was startled at his defense of me would be putting it mildly – no doubt I wasn't what he'd envisioned as a mate for his child, but I was grateful, nonetheless.

By the time we left the Plum household, Stephanie was dead on her feet. Her exhaustive statement to the police, along with imparting to me the horrific details she'd endured on her trip with the psychotic cop, and culminating with the haranguing she'd received from her mother, had completely annihilated any reserves of energy she had left. Adrenalin always did that to her when a situation was over.

Surprisingly, she didn't even protest when I swung her up into my arms and carried her back to the SUV. Her only response was to bury her face in my shoulder, and with a grip I doubt even_ I_ could break, clutched my shirt in her hands and held on for dear life.

I was thankful to be _in_ that life.

The drive back to my house where we'd been camped out was subdued and silent – the only sounds being the quiet hum of the SUV's engine and the tires crunching over the gravel as we wound up the road to the clearing in front. Tank, Lester, Ram, and Bobby had followed behind us in Tank's Hummer – not so much as an escort, but to see for themselves that Steph and I were okay. It had been a long, harrowing, and exhausting day.

The front door opened just as we reached the steps to the front porch, and when Mari saw Stephanie, she immediately reached out and pulled her into a sympathetic hug, shooting the rest of us a glance that spoke volumes. She turned her head and indicated the door at the top of the steps and the woman standing there waiting.

"Celia?"

Ram's voice held surprise and curiosity, and the looks on everyone else's faces weren't any less startled, although to say I wasn't prepared would be an understatement. _What the fuck was my sister up to now?_

"Jason, guys, hi. I thought Mari could use some company while she waited for you to come back. And…and I was worried. I couldn't sit at home, wondering how everything was going. I hope you don't mind?" She turned to me when she said that, her gaze beseeching as she waited for my response.

I nodded hesitantly, still curious as to what she had on her devious mind. My sister was nothing if not resourceful when it came to ferreting out information, and she always hated being left out of whatever was going on. She'd learned long ago that pumping her husband for answers wasn't going to get her anywhere, and although I didn't like the idea of her showing up unexpectedly, _again_, during a case, I wasn't all that irritated with her in this instance, although I should've known she'd find a way to get the down 'n dirty of our latest operation, especially since it was personal. As in, _my_ private life.

"Okay, well, Celia and I whipped up a little something for you guys after Lester called to tell us you were on your way, so when we heard you on the drive, we set everything out," Mari piped up, tossing a look over her shoulder as she gently led Steph up the stairs and into the house. "Why don't you come on in and try to relax a bit?" She smiled softly at me, before giving Steph a light squeeze to her shoulders. "I've got a nice, hot bubble bath waiting for you upstairs, and Celia brought you some relaxing bath salts and comfort food. You look ready to drop, so you just head on up, and Ric'll be with you in a few minutes."

Steph smiled gratefully at her before giving me a questioning look.

I nodded in agreement, before giving my sister and cousin's wife a look of appreciation, and then motioned everyone inside. Decompressing after this one was going to take some time, and I couldn't think of a better way to do that. It felt comforting – _right._ For once, just this time, I'd let my family take charge of things for the moment. Then I was going to kick their asses out the door for some alone time with Stephanie.

As we all stood silently watching Steph trudge up the stairs, I looked over at Mari and raised an eyebrow.

She motioned me into the kitchen, the rest of the gang crowding in behind us. The sound of the bedroom door closing upstairs started everyone talking at once, keeping their voices low to avoid eavesdroppers. Apparently, Mia was in the bedroom down the hall, and judging by Mari's demeanor, she hadn't been there long enough to fall asleep yet.

"How is she, Ric?" Mari began before Celia could open her mouth and put her foot in it – again.

I wanted to laugh at the frustrated look on my sister's face, since it was obvious to everyone that she was itching to start interrogating me. Instead, I leaned back against the counter behind me and shook my head, silently wondering how much to give them. After all, it wasn't really my story to tell.

"She's exhausted, hurting, and fed up with just about everyone outside of this house. Anything else, she'll have to tell you on her own." I finally said, noting the disgruntled look my sister was giving me at the lack of information I was imparting.

_Tough._

"But – so what _happened? _You don't even have a damn TV here, so we have no idea how it went! And when I called in to Rangeman, they wouldn't tell me _anything!"_ Celia wailed, trying frantically to get even the tiniest morsel of news from me.

_Well, well, well. Guess Hal's got himself a raise._

Lester choked off a laugh, turning it into a cough at a look from Mari, while Tank, Bobby, Marcus, and I fought to keep our expressions blank.

Ram stepped forward before I could respond and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "Honey, all you need to know is that the bad guy is dead and the danger is over. What else can you possibly want to hear?" he asked, his eyes smiling, even though the rest of his face was serious.

How he puts up with her nosiness I'll never know, but I was glad he was being diplomatic about it. The last thing I needed was a lecture from my mother about how mean I was being by not allowing her husband to tell her what she wanted to know. I was already long overdue for a big one about the numerous hours we'd all been working and the family dinners we'd missed.

God help her if she went back on her word and told anyone the details of her visit yesterday.

After assuring the women that all had ended well – okay, as well as could be expected – I ushered everyone out of the house and locked up. House secured, I made my way quickly up the stairs to where my future waited.

There, in the flickering candlelight, immersed in the tub full of hot water and scented bubbles, was the most beautiful vision I had ever seen. Quietly, I stripped my clothes off and slid in behind her, eliciting a soft moan from Steph as she leaned into me. A sigh escaped my lips as I began to release all the stress I had been carrying for the past few weeks. Finally, it was over, and Stephanie was safe at last. Now… Now we could have our someday…

But first, we needed to talk.

tbc


	47. Chapter 47

Disclaimer: That's it! It's done! One more of these and I was gonna stick a fork in my eye!

Undying gratitude to Connie, who's tirelessly worked these last two chapters with me, helping to round out the chapters and tie up those pesky loose ends even when she's felt like shit. Thank you sooo much, Babe!

Kudos and lots of RangeMan lovin' to Gayle for the guest 'smut scene' – is it smokin' or what? Thanks so much, Babe!

Thank you so, so much, Jenny (aka Jenrar) for the fabulous beta job throughout this story. You really came through for me, helping to make this a much better story. I dub you "Super Beta"!

A huge shout out to the former members of Buruma Babes, who encouraged the beginning of this story, to all the fanfic readers who left amazing reviews and love, and especially the ladies of Babe_Squad, who gave me the opportunity to keep this fic alive long enough to get here. Big hugs and RangeMen to all of you!

**Locked Up & Pissed Off** – part 47 Epilogue

Steph's POV

_Six months later…_

STANDING ON THE BALCONY of our home as the sun warmed my face, I leaned on the railing and stared out over the waves gently lapping the shore. As I stood there, enjoying the tangy ocean breeze, I thought back to all that had happened over the last six months.

We'd moved to Miami a little over four months ago, and we were finally getting back to a more satisfactory daily rhythm, both at work and home.

The night after Joe's death, Ric and I had a long talk. Despite the knowledge that Joe was now gone and the target he'd painted on my back had, for all intents and purposes, been removed, we both realized that I wouldn't be able to continue on with my life as usual in the 'Burg, much less bounty hunting. Ric thought that a fresh start in Miami would do us both good, giving us a chance to start our someday without the ghosts of the past. He'd packed us up and moved lock, stock, and barrel to RangeMan Miami, leaving Lester and Ram in charge of Trenton. There, in his house on the beach, I'd begun the long process of recovery. Subsequently, the nightmares that had been plaguing me every night since the takedown were finally starting to recede – the help of a gifted counselor and Ric's constant assurances that we were now safe from my ex's wrath playing a huge part in regaining my mental health.

I'd hated to leave my father and Grandma Mazur, and even surprisingly, the tentative new relationship my mother had been so desperately trying to forge, but Ric soon realized I could no longer live in Trenton with the daily reminders of pain and degradation I'd been subjected to by nearly everyone around me. We needed new surroundings, a new beginning for the both of us. A new life.

Tank had made the move with us, stating that "no one else but me is good enough to protect my brother's back," and with characteristic determination, had said a stoic goodbye to Lula, who he'd been seriously dating for several weeks. He'd packed up his life to make the move, and then within two months, after daily phone calls and one quick visit back to Trenton, he'd convinced Lula to leave New Jersey and head south to join Tank and us at RangeMan. They'd been married last month, much to everyone's surprise but Ric and me, since they'd kept us apprised of their intentions after we'd pretty much forced them to come clean with us. They were happy as hell, and the whole "family," such as we were, couldn't be more thrilled for them.

Details of the statements collected at the tail end of the investigation in Joe's duplicitous lifestyle had caused mixed reactions of disbelief and shock throughout much of the 'Burg – so much so that few had managed to set aside their apathy, and out of respect for his mother, attend the funeral. With the exception of his mother, grandmother, siblings, and cousin Mooch, only Ranger and I, flanked by my parents and a slew of RangeMen, had been there to see his body laid to rest. Terri Gilman had also attended, but she'd stayed well away from everyone else, tears spilling down her face as her uncle, Vito Grizolli, tried his best to comfort her.

The glares we'd received from the Morelli clan had been bitter, which wasn't much of a surprise to me. What did shock me, however, was the sorrow and empathy shown toward me by his cousin following the investigation. He hadn't even condemned me for choosing to sever my relationship with Joe following my fateful trip to the Poconos, unlike the rest of his family.

Mooch seemed to understand the circumstances more than anyone tried to comprehend, given the closeness he'd shared with his cousin throughout their lives. Over the past several months, he'd watched Joe decline into madness with increasing alarm, but hadn't been able to find the courage to confront him or his family; I couldn't fault him for standing behind his best friend like that, even though his silence had cost so many their lives. He'd have to live with his inaction the rest of his life, as did the rest of us.

Eddie Gazarra had been awarded a commendation for his part in the case by the governor. The citation stated him as having been "instrumental in collecting the evidence to capture and convict a dangerous police officer turned rogue, even as he worked to protect Stephanie Plum and numerous unnamed informants while preserving the integrity of the investigation up to the conclusion." Thankfully, his brethren in the TPD hadn't held his role of "undercover mole" against him, and they'd even gone so far as to gift him and his wife a weekend getaway to Atlantic City, sans his devil children. Courtesy of the numerous pots that had been previously collected for the bets they used to place on my cars exploding, along with the myriad of other, less fortunate occurrences that were part and parcel of my life as a Trenton bounty hunter, they'd been put up in the honeymoon suite and given the royal treatment. _Thanks, Daddy!_

Hal had transferred to Miami barely a month after we'd made the move, and I still blushed after finally getting to hear the details of his request to Ric; Hal had said he needed "lessons on dealing with crazy Jersey girls with stun guns, and no one was a better teacher than the Bombshell." The rest of the guys had laughed hysterically when they'd heard that and had wholeheartedly agreed that under my tutelage, he'd be "up to speed in no time." He was coming along famously.

Apparently, Hector had been corresponding with one of Julie's bodyguards, Ben, for quite some time; he'd moved to Miami just last month, and they now had a cozy condo located just at the edge of the Cuban community, a few blocks from RangeMan. They were happy and content; thankfully, everyone had accepted them and their lifestyle without even blinking an eye.

Having so many familiar faces around, along with the new friends I'd made with the Miami Merry Men, had done wonders for my self-esteem and confidence in my abilities, although I firmly believe that I'd have been fine with Ric's comforting presence and my burgeoning relationship with his daughter, Julie. Still…

I was gloriously happy with Ric, and even though we were in a committed relationship, we hadn't directly broached the subject of marriage, although, much to my amazement, Ric had been dropping hints of it being a possibility in the future. He'd also mentioned kids if I wanted them – a thought that still scared the crap out of me, but it _had_ gotten me thinking – hard. A little boy with Ric's mocha latte complexion, his deep, dark, bedroom eyes, and hopefully, his gorgeous, silky hair and devastating smile…

A week after Joe's funeral, Ric had taken me to his parents' home in Newark to meet them and the rest of his family, some of whom had flown up from Miami to gather around us in support. Celia and Mari had been instrumental in making sure that every single sibling, cousin, and extended family member had been present, going so far as to threaten bodily harm to anyone trying to beg off. His Abuela Rosa had smiled secretively when I'd been introduced to her, and she later revealed – _in English_, no less, which had shocked the shit out of everyone – that she was my biggest fan. Who knew?

Celia, Mari, and I had become extremely close in the weeks following the takedown, and although they both, along with their families, had stayed in Newark and Trenton, we'd all talked regularly on the phone since then, the friendship developing between us stronger than I had ever had with my own sister, Val. It saddened me in some aspects, but was gratifying for the most part. It almost made up for not being able to see Mary Lou more often. The two of us talked on the phone, as well, but it just wasn't the same anymore.

My mother had been trying to make amends for her part in pushing me toward Joe for so long, as well as her continuous harping on my inability to mold myself into her version of the perfect 'Burg housewife. She even went so far as to plead for us to visit often, especially after her tears at our departure hadn't been enough to change our minds to stay in New Jersey. Ric still didn't quite trust her or her motives, but he'd become more open to the possibility of visits for my sake, with a lot of support from my dad and grandma. I was hopeful, but like him, cautious.

I was lost in thought when my neck began to tingle with awareness, and I smiled, turning just as a warm hand settled on the back of my neck and tunneled under my hair.

"You doin' okay, Babe?" Ric asked, that almost-smile I loved so much just barely tilting his lips before he placed a fleeting kiss on my mouth.

I nodded and smiled back at him, sighing as his arms wrapped protectively around me.

"Mmm…yes, thanks. You finished up for the day?" I nuzzled his neck as I snuggled into him, getting more and more turned on by his scent. I couldn't resist – my tongue snuck out and tasted the skin above the neckline of his T-shirt. Yum!

He chuckled and turned me so my back was to his front, squeezing me slightly, before relaxing against my back as we gazed out over the horizon.

"Yeah, for a few hours, anyway. I've got a takedown scheduled for later on tonight, but for the next few hours, I'm all yours," he murmured as his lips brushed the shell of my ear.

I shivered as his mouth began a lazy journey down the side of my neck, his teeth nipping the sensitive spot where it joined my shoulder, before his tongue came out to bathe it with soothing strokes. A hot flash ensued, and I moaned in arousal, and then in disappointment when he lifted his head and smiled.

"Sorry, Babe. Before I lose track, I need to tell you that Julie called just as I was leaving the office. She wanted to know if you two were still on tonight." His head bent, and he resumed the sensuous journey he'd started, a hand moving up over my stomach to caress my breast.

His touch was making me lose my train of thought as I tried to form a coherent reply, my senses nearly hitting overload when his fingers brushed against a hardened nipple. The girls were standing up like the perfect little soldiers they became when Ric was anywhere in the vicinity, and I struggled to keep my knees from collapsing.

"Um…yeah, we…thought we'd…watch…a mov…God, Ric, I can't…I can't think when you…" I lost the battle with my brain when his tongue snaked out and licked another path down my neck, his lips stopping again at the juncture of my neck and shoulder. He began to suck the skin into his mouth, the touch both erotic and loving at the same time.

"Mmm, I like it when you can't think…when my touch sends your mind into chaos." He sounded as turned on as I was, which was a heady feeling, considering the effect this man had on my libido. Good to know I could return the favor.

************************************RSSmut***********************************

Ric pressed the proof of my "favor" against the small of my back, while continuing to nibble and suck on my neck. I knew he would leave a mark, but I didn't care. I wanted the world to know I belonged to Ric, and Ric only.

I finally gave up trying to hold a conversation when his hand slipped under my shirt and traveled up my belly to my breast again, his touch scorching my skin as his fingers pushed the cup of my bra up so he could pinch my nipple. I moaned out loud and felt moisture dampen my panties. Oh, the things this man could do to me with just a single touch.

A small bit of coherent thought managed to enter my brain as I finally realized where we were.

"We should take this inside," I said, panting between words. "Someone might see us."

"Let them," Ric growled. He pressed his hardened shaft tighter against my back, ensuring that I knew exactly what he intended to do. "They'll be too far away to see anything anyway," he whispered in my ear.

Before I could respond, Ric unbuttoned my jeans and slid them down my legs. Without even thinking, I kicked them off my feet and shoved them to the side. The cool air hit my overheated skin, and I shivered. I held onto the balcony railing to keep myself from sliding to the floor.

With one hand still fondling my breast, Ric slipped his other hand down the back of my panties and dragged his fingers along my soaked center.

"Fuck, Babe. You're so wet," Ric groaned as he began to play with my clit.

I dropped my head onto his shoulder and lost myself to the feel of his hands on my body.

Slowly, Ric began to pump a thick finger deep inside of me. My hips gyrated in rhythm with his strokes.

"You like that, Babe?" Ric asked, knowing full well I loved it.

All I could do was pant. Forming full sentences was just not possible with him fucking me, even if it was just his finger.

As if sensing my increasing need, Ric slipped another finger in and began to pump me even harder. His other hand had moved to my other breast, and he squeezed and massaged it just as he had done with the other. My nipples were so hard, they ached. Ric's lips returned to my neck, and he began licking and nipping at the sensitive skin.

I whimpered when his fingers retreated from my aching core and his hand disappeared from my backside. But then I felt him drag the back of my panties down my ass cheeks, just before his freed cock slid to where his fingers had been just moments before.

His bulbous head slid between my wet folds and teased my clit, and then he nudged my legs farther apart with his knee. All I could think of was how much I wanted him buried deep inside me. Instinctively, I thrust my hips backward into his groin. My action caused the head of his cock to enter my core, and we both momentarily stilled. With a growl, Ric grabbed my hips and drove his hard cock deep into my body, causing me to cry out. Had anyone been walking by on the beach at that moment, they would have heard me and would have known exactly what we were doing. I didn't care. All I could focus on was Ric's cock filling me, the sound of our skin as it slapped together with every forward thrust he made.

My body was covered in a fine sheen of sweat, and I was panting hard. I was close to orgasm, and Ric knew it.

"Come for me, Babe," he ordered. He slipped one hand down the front of my panties and found my clit, pinching it hard.

That was all it took. I lost my mind as I shattered into a million pieces, screaming his name as I slammed my ass against his groin, taking his cock as deep into me as I could.

I felt his arm wrap around my belly as he slowly pumped back and forth, allowing me to ride out the last of my climax. I was grateful for his strength, because I was completely boneless and knew he was the only thing keeping me from melting onto the floor.

Before I could register what was happening, Ric picked me up and carried me back into the house and into our bedroom. He laid me on the bed and pulled my panties the rest of the way off.

"I have to taste you," he said, desire shining in his eyes. He knelt down onto the bed and settled between my thighs. At the first swipe of his tongue across my core, I cried out, thrusting my crotch against his mouth. I heard him chuckle softly as he held my body down and began to feast on my juices.

At first, he just licked my outer folds, but as my panting and whimpering increased, he delved inside, scooping up my cream like a man dying from thirst. I loved it when he fucked me like this. It was so raw, so carnal, and I never wanted it to end.

I could feel my inner walls clamping down on his tongue in an attempt to keep him there forever. His nose brushed against my clit, which shot sparks of electricity throughout my body.

God help me, but I was going to come again. I fisted my hands in his silky black hair and held on as another climax tore through my body like a freight train. I screamed again until I thought I would become hoarse from it.

After two mind-blowing orgasms, my head was dizzy and I couldn't feel my toes, but I wanted more. I wanted everything Ric could give me. I opened my eyes, and my gaze met his.

"More," I begged.

Ric rose up and smiled that devilish wolf grin I'd come to love so much. His pants were still undone, and his cock jutted out with several drops of precum slowly leaking from the slit. I watched him strip faster than I thought was humanly possible, and I quickly divested myself of my shirt and bra.

"Tell me what you want, Babe," Ric said, hovering above me. I could feel his power and strength radiating from his body and into mine.

"Fuck me," I ordered. "Fuck me hard."

Ric closed his eyes. The look on his face was akin to someone who had just found out they'd been given everything they ever wanted. A moment later, his eyes reopened, and he drove his rock hard cock deep inside me. I wrapped my legs around his hips and held on as he thrust into me over and over again.

He slid his arms under my shoulders and held on as he dipped his head to capture one of my breasts with his mouth. He sucked my nipple as hard as he fucked me, and the pain was delicious. I grabbed onto his back and dug my nails into his skin, knowing that it would be scratched up later. He growled his approval and bit my nipple, causing me to cry out in pleasure.

Sweat covered both our bodies as the sound of skin slamming against skin filled the room. He fucked me so hard, the headboard banged against the wall in perfect rhythm with our thrusts.

Ric suddenly released my breast and gave me a fierce kiss. He devoured my lips, plunging his tongue into my mouth, mimicking what he was doing down below. Our bodies were coiled masses of sexual tension, both on the brink of explosion as we kept up our furious pace, racing toward utter bliss.

I felt Ric's body tense even further just moments before he tore his mouth away from mine. He arched his back, slammed into me, and came hard. I could feel his cock release stream after hot stream of his seed, the warmth of it flooding my body and my mind as it sent me over the same edge from where Ric just flew. I screamed his name, and he roared mine. I half expected the windows to shatter from the sheer force.

*********************************EndRSSmut**********************************

Ric collapsed on me, but was careful to keep most of his weight on his arms. Even half out of his mind from an intense climax, he was still aware of his surroundings. It took several long minutes before our breathing settled down to a normal rate. He had his face buried in my neck as he fought to bring his body back under control. Then his head snapped up, and a look of concern spread across his face.

"God, Babe. Please tell me I didn't hurt you," he begged. His eyes pleaded with mine, and his brow crinkled with worry.

I raised my hand and softly stroked his cheek.

"You gave me exactly what I asked for, exactly what I needed," I replied, and then wrapped my fingers around the back of his head and drew him down for a kiss.

This kiss was different from the one earlier. It was passionate, but it was tender and gentle. I poured everything I felt for him into that kiss. All my love, all my loyalty. My entire soul was his, and his alone.

It always would be.

Finis


End file.
